Welcome.  Thank you for looking into our study. Over the following Web pages, you will read a summary of a hypothetical legal case and then be asked to answer certain questions about what you read.

At the beginning of the next page, a message box will appear and tell you your random identification number.  You should write this number down.  If you experience any problems or receive any error messages while completing this survey, please email Kevin O'Neil at oneilk@fiu.edu immediately and report the content of the error message.  The identification number will help to identify and solve the error.

You must first read the consent form below.  If you consent to participate, answer the questions below the text and then click on the button at the very bottom of the page.

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESEARCH STUDY
Project Title: Domestic Abuse Cases
IRB Approval # 102703-03

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted over the Web. The following information is provided to help you make an informed decision whether or not to participate. Your participation is completely voluntary. You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Purpose and Procedure of the Study: The purpose of this study is to examine what factors influence mock jurors’ verdicts in criminal cases. Participation in this study will require about 10 minutes. You will be asked to read a scenario about a hypothetical trial, and to answer questions about it on a Web page. You will be asked to imagine you are a juror in the case and to determine your verdict.

Risks: The only risk to participating in this study is that you might become upset when you read about the victim’s injuries or death, or about an abusive domestic relationship, especially if you or someone you know has suffered similar harm. This event is unlikely, but if you are concerned about it you may withdraw from the study at any time.

Benefits: Although this study is not designed to help you personally, you may find the learning experience enjoyable, you may learn a little bit about how psychological research is conducted, and the process may help you better understand the legal process. The information gained from this study will help us better understand the factors that influence jurors’ decision processes in criminal cases.

Privacy: Any information obtained during this study that could identify you will be kept strictly confidential. The study will collect information about the browser you are using. No personal information will be placed on your browser by the use of cookies. The personal information collected will be deleted from the database once data collection is completed and compensation has been given. The information gained from this study may be published in scientific journals or presented at scientific meetings, but your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

You are free to decide not to participate in this study or to withdraw at any time without adversely affecting your relationship with the investigators or Florida International University.

Questions: You may ask questions of the experimenter and have those questions answered, before agreeing to participate or during the research. You may call or email the researcher at any time at the number or address listed below. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the chair of the Florida International University Institutional Review Board, Dr. Bernard Gerstman, at 305-348-3115 or 305-348-2494.

Name and Phone Number of Principal Investigators:
Amy Lunsford  (305)348-3687  atl26974@yahoo.com
Kevin M. O'Neil, Ph.D. (305)348-3687 oneilk@fiu.edu