Characteristics of the defendant

• • The race of the defendant can influence jurors who may stereotypically think that minority ethnic groups are more likely to be involved in crime.  

  +Bradbury and Williams (2013) found that black defendants are more likely to be convicted if the jury consists of higher numbers of other ethnicity jurors. 
• • The attractiveness of the defendant can influence both the terms of bail and conviction.

  +Downs and Lyons (1991) found that in misdemeanor charges, ‘attractive’ defendants received lower bail conditions than those judged as ‘unattractive’. 
• • Mock juries are used to measure the effects of the characteristics of defendants on jury decision making. 
  • -Controlled conditions are used in mock trials where the variables are controlled so the findings about defendant characteristics may lack ecological validity when considering real trial situations.
• • Dion, Bersheid, and Walster (1972) claimed that attractiveness is associated with socially desirable characteristics and there is a perception that ‘what is beautiful is good’.

  +Landy and Aronson (1969) found attractive defendants were treated differently to unattractive defendants, being sentenced less harshly than an unattractive defendant even when rated similarly guilty of a crime.
• How attractiveness may influence jury-decision making

  A defendant who is deemed to be attractive by the jurors is less

  likely to be found guilty of certain crimes