New research examines 'remorse bias' in legal decision-making

Phys · May 11, 2026 · 317 words · By Rutgers University Newark School

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What to know about New research examines 'remorse bias' in legal decision-making

The article reports on two studies by Colleen M. Berryessa regarding 'remorse bias' in the legal system. It describes how judges' interpretations of a defendant's remorse can be influenced by stereotypes and implicit assumptions, potentially leading to unequal sentencing outcomes.

Propaganda risk 0%

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

New research examines 'remorse bias' in legal decision-making Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Lead Editor Two newly published studies by Colleen M.

Why it matters

Berryessa, associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice, examine how expressions of remorse are interpreted in the legal system and how those interpretations can contribute to unequal outcomes.

Common ground

In a recent article published in the Annual Review of Law and Social Science, Berryessa explores the concept of "remorse bias," showing how judges and other legal decision-makers may misread or misinterpret expressions of remorse due to implicit assumptions,…

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: New research examines 'remorse bias' in legal decision-making?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Drawing on more than 60 in-depth interviews with state-level trial court judges, Berryessa and co-author Emily Greberman... develop a model of how remorse bias can emerge during sentencing?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-remorse-bias-legal-decision.html

analyticsAnalysis

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

verified Verified 1

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Claim 1: “Drawing on more than 60 in-depth interviews with state-level trial court judges, Berryessa and co-author Emily Greberman... develop a model of how remorse bias can emerge during sentencing”

CORROBORATED

Mirage News and SSRN both describe the research involving over 60 interviews with state-level trial court judges to develop a model of remorse bias in sentencing, co-authored by Emily Greberman.

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web search NEUTRAL — Drawing on more than 60 in-depth interviews with state-level trial court judges, Berryessa and coauthor Emily Greberman, a doctoral student at the School of Criminal Justice, develop a model of how re…
https://www.miragenews.com/research-probes-remorse-bias-in-l…

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web search NEUTRAL — This research develops a model of " remorse bias" for judges during sentencing, specifically examining if and how.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6711978

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web search NEUTRAL — Emily Greberman.Colleen M. Berryessa. The present study surveyed judges to examine how they consider and apply scientific information during sentencing determinations.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Colleen-Berryessa

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Claim 2: “Two newly published studies by Colleen M. Berryessa, associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice, examine how expressions of remorse are interpreted in the legal system”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm Colleen M. Berryessa is an Associate Professor at Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice and has published research on remorse bias in the legal system.

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web search NEUTRAL — Two newly published studies by Colleen M. Berryessa, associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice, examine how expressions of remorse are interpreted in the legal system an…
https://www.miragenews.com/research-probes-remorse-bias-in-l…

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web search NEUTRAL — I am an Associate Professor at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice.Colleen M. Berryessa. Autistic individuals encounter distinct barriers within the criminal‐legal system, such as misint…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Colleen-Berryessa

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web search NEUTRAL — Associate Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University.CM Berryessa. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour 5 (2), 97-106, 2014.
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=OdWtsRAAAAAJ&hl=…

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Claim 3: “Colleen M. Berryessa et al, Judicial "remorse bias" and the effects of social cognition on the sentencing of stereotyped defendants, Journal of Criminal Justice (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2026.102663”

CORROBORATED

The specific title 'Judicial "remorse bias" and the effects of social cognition on the sentencing of stereotyped defendants' and the co-authorship with Greberman are confirmed by Dr. Berryessa's personal website and SSRN.

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web search NEUTRAL — When judges demonstrated remorse bias in this way, they disregarded defendants' remorse displays and attributed criminality to their fundamental character. Judges then used this as evidence to rethink…
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6711978

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web search NEUTRAL — Her personal website is colleenberryessa.com, and information on her lab/trainees can be found here. Selected Recent Publications. C.M. Berryessa and E. Greberman+. (2026). Judicial “Remorse Bias” and…
https://rscj.newark.rutgers.edu/people/faculty/dr-colleen-be…

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web search NEUTRAL — "Assessing remorse is a deeply subjective process shaped by human cognition," Berryessa explains. "When remorse is misunderstood or discounted, it can produce serious inequities in legal outcomes."
https://www.miragenews.com/research-probes-remorse-bias-in-l…

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Claim 4: “A second article published in the Journal of Criminal Justice extends this work through an empirical study of judges' decision-making”

CORROBORATED

Mirage News and Berryessa's own publication list (via web search) confirm an empirical study on judges' decision-making published in the Journal of Criminal Justice.

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web search NEUTRAL — A second article published in the Journal of Criminal Justice extends this work through an empirical study of judges' decision-making. Drawing on more than 60 in-depth interviews with state-level tria…
https://www.miragenews.com/research-probes-remorse-bias-in-l…

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web search NEUTRAL — published new work in the Journal of Family Issues.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192513X231220045

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web search NEUTRAL — JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS. 2026. C.M. Berryessa. (Forthcoming). Remorse Bias in Legal Decision-making.(2026). Honesty as a “Communicative Tool” in Sentencing: A Study of Judges from the U.S. and Australia.…
https://www.colleenberryessa.com/research

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Claim 5: “Emily Greberman, a doctoral student at the School of Criminal Justice”

VERIFIED

Official Rutgers University profiles and Google Scholar explicitly identify Emily Greberman as a doctoral student/PhD candidate at the School of Criminal Justice.

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web search NEUTRAL — Using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods, Emily hopes to enter academia following the completion of her PhD where she can teach others about criminology/criminal justice, as well as use…
https://rscj.newark.rutgers.edu/people/students/emily-greber…

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web search NEUTRAL — Emily GREBERMAN, Doctoral Student | Cited by 2 | of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, NJ (Rutgers) | Read 3 publications | Contact Emily GREBERMAN
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emily-Greberman

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web search NEUTRAL — Emily Greberman PhD Candidate, Rutgers University Verified email at rutgers.edu Comparative Criminology Corrections Qualitative Criminology Courts
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=B893jZ0AAAAJ&hl=en

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Claim 6: “Colleen M. Berryessa, Remorse Bias in Legal Decision-Making, Annual Review of Law and Social Science (2026). DOI: 10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-042324-100041”

CORROBORATED

The article title and journal are confirmed by Annual Reviews and Mirage News. While the provided evidence for this specific claim index in the prompt included irrelevant search results (furniture/NYT), the overall evidence set for Claim 1 and the general research context confirms the publication's existence and title.

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web search NEUTRAL — Browse Article's stylish catalog of contemporary, mid century & modern furniture from world renowned designers at accessible prices. Shop now!
https://www.article.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — Stay informed with The New York Times' comprehensive coverage of global news, politics, business, arts, sports and more.
https://www.nytimes.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · NPR news, audio, and podcasts. Coverage of breaking stories, national and world news, politics, business, science, technology, and extended coverage of major national and world events.
https://www.npr.org/sections/news/

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Claim 7: “In a recent article published in the Annual Review of Law and Social Science, Berryessa explores the concept of "remorse bias"”

CORROBORATED

The claim is confirmed by Mirage News and the Annual Reviews website, both noting the publication of 'Remorse Bias in Legal Decision-Making' in the Annual Review of Law and Social Science.

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web search NEUTRAL — In a recent article published in the Annual Review of Law and Social Science, Berryessa explores the concept of "remorse bias," showing how judges and other legal decision-makers may misread or misint…
https://www.miragenews.com/research-probes-remorse-bias-in-l…

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web search NEUTRAL — Remorse Bias in Legal Decision-Making. Colleen M. Berryessa.Immigration Law Beyond Borders: Externalizing and Internalizing Border Controls in an Era of Securitization. Cecilia Menjívar.
https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/lawsocsci

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web search NEUTRAL — Annual Review of Law and Social Science.(2022). Modeling “Remorse Bias” in Probation Narratives: Examining Social Cognition and Judgments of Implicit Violence During Sentencing. Journal of Social Issu…
https://www.colleenberryessa.com/research

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.