保護責任者遺棄致死罪で起訴された被告人の性別が一般市民の量刑判断に与える影響

抄録

Studies have shown that female child abusers are sentenced more leniently than their male counterparts. This study aimed to examine whether this effect holds in a Japanese sample. It also investigated whether perceived psychological distance between parent and child plays a mediating role. A vignette depicting a case of abandonment by a person responsible for their care causing death was randomly presented in which the offender’s sex was manipulated. Analyses using data from 185 Japanese adults revealed that female offenders are recommended for a shorter sentence than their male counterparts. However, the mediating role of perceived psychological distance failed to reach statistical significance.