Teen Girl Sentenced to 86 Years in Prison After She Ra…See more…

But both reactions can occur before people have read the court documents or understood the legal reasoning behind the decision.

The Danger of Judging a Case From a Headline
Crime stories are particularly vulnerable to sensational headlines.

A headline such as:

“Teen Girl Sentenced to 86 Years in Prison”

immediately creates an emotional response.

But a headline cannot explain an entire criminal case.

It does not tell readers everything about the evidence, the charges, the victim impact statements, the defendant’s background, or the arguments made in court.

That is why responsible readers should look beyond the headline.

Before forming a strong opinion, it is useful to determine:

What crime was committed?

What charges were filed?

What evidence was presented?

Was there a trial or a plea agreement?

What did prosecutors argue?