American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
Identity in Court Decision-Making
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 16,
no. 4, November 2024
(pp. 142–64)
Abstract
We explore the role of identity along multiple dimensions in high-stakes decision-making. Our data contain information about demographic and socioeconomic indicators for defendants and randomly assigned jurors in a Swedish court. Our results show that defendants are 4 to 6 percent less likely to get a prison sentence if judged by one more juror belonging to the same identity-forming group. Moreover, they are given 10 percent shorter prison sentences. Socioeconomic background and demographic attributes are equally important for identity effects, and these effects stem from trials of longer duration and where the defendant is present in the courtroom.Citation
Ahrsjö, Ulrika, Susan Niknami, and Mårten Palme. 2024. "Identity in Court Decision-Making." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 16 (4): 142–64. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20220802Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
- Z13 Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
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