Crime publicity and its impact on forensic risk evaluations using the HCR-20

• In Event: Evaluating Crime Control Strategies

Abstract

Media representations of crime and suspects can influence public perceptions of guilt and induce negative bias towards a person accused of a crime. Pretrial publicity may also influence perceptions of risk and dangerousness on the part of forensic evaluators tasked with conducting risk assessments. To date, research about bias in forensic risk assessment is in its infancy. This experiment tests the influence of media representations on risk evaluations using the HCR-20 Version 3 using a sample comprised of master’s level forensic psychology students and forensic mental health professionals. One randomly assigned group views media coverage of the crime and reads case file information; the control group reviews only case file information. Both groups conduct a risk evaluation using the HCR-20. Differences between the HCR-20 scores between the two groups reveal whether media coverage induces evaluator bias. This study also tests whether punitiveness moderates the effects of media and HCR-20 scoring. Given the proliferation of media sources and crime coverage, this experiment is a first test of how media reporting about a defendant may impact risk evaluation. Results provide insights into the effects of pretrial publicity on forensic experts.

Author

• Jennifer Kamorowski, Maastricht University