公民对刑事司法错误的态度:布莱克斯通错误比接受度下降的意义

Citizen Attitudes toward Errors in Criminal Justice:Implications of the Declining Acceptance of Blackstone’s Ratio

＂布莱克斯通错误比＂指出＂即使错放十个有罪者,也比错判一个无辜者好＂,这是一个著名的刑事司法审判原则。基于这个比例,为最大限度地实现定罪准确性的法律政策,便顺其自然地产生浩瀚而复杂的宪法和法定权利,以及一套完整的法律和证据规则。但是,如果公众改变对布莱克斯通错误比的看法,不再支持这个原则呢？本文基于多项跨国研究,报告了有关公众对错判或错放是否危害更严重的态度。我们对从1985年到2006年不同国家进行的四次调查的结果进行了再分析,研究发现,这段时间内公众对布莱克斯通错误比日益显著地反对。本文讨论了与刑事诉讼的证据标准有关的意义,并提出未来研究的方向。

The "Blackstone ratio" is a well-known principle of criminal justice.The methods of implementing the legal policy of maximum possible certainty of guilt congruent with Blackstone＇ s ratio consist of a constellation of constitutional and statutory rights,as well as rules of procedure and evidence.However,what if the public shift their view of the Blackstone＇ s ratio and become less supportive of this principle？This paper reports the results of a cross-national study of public opinion regarding whether it is worse to wrongfully convict the innocent,or errone-ously acquit the guilty.Reanalysis of the results of four different surveys of citizens in different countries conducted from 1985 to 2006 reflects a significant and growing rejection of the Blaekstone ratio principle over the time period studied.We discuss one implication of these findings relating to the standard of proof in criminal cases,and suggest directions for future research.