Breaks and parole decisions
Can simple lunch breaks change serious legal decisions?
Intervention Description
Studies of parole decisions showed that parole was more likely to be granted after the judge had eaten a snack or had a lunch break. Although surprising, these results may have a simple explanation. Researchers suggest that over the course of repeated rulings, judges settle into a status quo and either the food or simply the rest alters the pattern of rulings the judge makes.
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