Defining Evil and Worst of Crime at the Scientific Frontier of the Death Penalty

Washington Post article highlights national law & science research of murder, sex crime.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 24, 2007 -- An ongoing landmark national study to define the elements of the worst of crimes for juries deliberating sentencing is revealing answers on Americans' distinctions of what makes a crime evil. In an article in today's Washington Post, the pioneer of The Depravity Scale research, forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner, M.D., reported that crimes that "prolong suffering," "cause grotesque suffering," and crimes of "intent to cause emotional trauma" draw overwhelming consensus as depraved from thousands of research participants at depravityscale.org (https://www.depravityscale.org). The continuing research on murder, sex crimes and other offenses aims for large scale public participation to refine guidance on evidence to judges and juries deliberating sensitive cases such as those considering the death penalty, war crimes, or those drawing intense media coverage. The controversy of fair sentencing is framed through the case of Ivan Teleguz, convicted of the "vile, horrible, and inhuman" murder of his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to death, as reported by the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/22/AR2007072201247.html).

Inspired by courts' demonstrated need to more fairly distinguish the severity among murders, sex crimes, robbery and white collar crime, The Depravity Scale is the first study to ever directly involve large scale general public participation in a scientific effort to impact criminal sentencing. In two surveys based at depravityscale.org (http://www.depravityscale.org), over 25,000 people thus far from over 50 countries have weighed in to compare the relative significance of different examples of criminal intent, acts, victims targeted, and attitudes about one's crimes. Dr. Welner, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine and Chairman of The Forensic Panel, explains, "Defining evil has been a most delicate undertaking - but one which needs to involve the entire public to create a societal standard. The Depravity Scale research has shown that regardless of cultural or regional background, regardless of one's experience, there are elements of a crime that a consensus agrees represent depravity. Now, it is essential for the public, through this research, to help forensic scientists, lawyers, police and law enforcement, courts, and juries understand what evidence should be weighed more strongly, and by how much."

Twenty-five different examples of intent, actions, victimology, and attitudes about crime are under continued scrutiny in the Depravity Scale. The include items such as "intent to maximize damage," "intent to terrorize," "victimizing a person in a position of trust," and "disrespect for the victim after the fact." The confidential web-based research accounts for an array of demographic information that may affect how people experience evil. The data is being presented in scientific forums and to lawmakers considering new proposals to make sentencing more fair and evidence-driven. "Public confidence in our justice system demands that sentencing be fair. Participating in the Depravity Scale research enables potential jurors, crime victims, and families of offenders and the community to all have the say," adds Dr. Welner.

Contact:

Michael Welner, M.D. forensic psychiatrist and Chairman, The Forensic Panel

212.535.9900

www.depravityscale.org

About The Forensic Panel

The Forensic Panel is a national forensic science (http://www.forensicpanel.com/expertise/index.htm) practice of over thirty scientists specializing in psychiatry, pathology, toxicology, medicine, and radiology. In addition to consulting to prosecutors and defense attorneys on a variety of cases, The Forensic Panel sponsors and conducts original research on the Depravity Scale and on forensic peer review.

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