Perceptions of Blue-Collar and White-Collar Crime: The Effect of Defendant Race on Simulated Juror Decisions

Undergraduate students (N = 56) participated in a study designed to examine the effect of defendant race and type of crime on simulated juror decisions. An equal number of black and white students was randomly assigned to receive one of four crime descriptions that varied in terms of defendant race (black or white) and the type of crime (burglary or embezzlement) committed. Students were subsequently asked to recommend jail sentences and bail amounts and to respond to items regarding the perceived severity of the crime and the likelihood that the defendant would repeat the crime. As predicted, the white embezzler received longer jail sentences than the black embezzler, and the black burglar received longer jail sentences than the white burglar.