Poster Session II
Project Type
Poster
Project Funding and Affiliations
University of Montana Small Grants
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Ginger Collins
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Introduction. The Miranda warnings are intended to protect individuals' constitutional rights during police interactions, but their effectiveness depends on whether the language is understood. Research suggests that legal vocabulary embedded in these warnings may be inaccessible to many vulnerable groups, including adolescents.
Research Questions. How well do high school students with typical language skills comprehend the legal vocabulary in the Miranda warning? Are MVS scores correlated with language test scores? Are MVS scores correlated with completion of a civics course?
Methods. Thirty high school students completed the Miranda Vocabulary Scale (MVS), a measure in which participants were asked to define 36 key vocabulary words drawn from Miranda warnings. Responses were scored on an ordinal scale with a maximum possible score of 144. Item responses were ranked for frequency distribution. Correlation analyses were performed to examine relationships between MVS scores and language test scores and completion of a civics course.
Results. Results revealed notable gaps in comprehension. While MVS scores positively correlated with language test scores, participants’ scores ranged from 70-125 (M = 97.23, s.d. = 13.36), demonstrating notable gaps in knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in MVS scores of participants who had /had not completed a civics course. Participants understood words occurring frequently in high-frequency general vocabulary with stable meanings most frequently (e.g., silent, crime). Words that occur infrequently or differ in meaning depending on context were understood least frequently (e.g., indigent, counsel, waive).
Conclusions. Despite having typical language skills, high school students demonstrated significant difficulty understanding legal vocabulary, and completion of a civics course was not found to be a protective factor in Miranda vocabulary knowledge. These comprehension gaps may increase adolescents' vulnerability during police interrogations. Findings underscore the important role of language accessibility in protecting young people's constitutional rights during legal interactions.
Category
Social Sciences
Examining High School Students' Comprehension of Miranda Vocabulary
UC South Ballroom
Introduction. The Miranda warnings are intended to protect individuals' constitutional rights during police interactions, but their effectiveness depends on whether the language is understood. Research suggests that legal vocabulary embedded in these warnings may be inaccessible to many vulnerable groups, including adolescents.
Research Questions. How well do high school students with typical language skills comprehend the legal vocabulary in the Miranda warning? Are MVS scores correlated with language test scores? Are MVS scores correlated with completion of a civics course?
Methods. Thirty high school students completed the Miranda Vocabulary Scale (MVS), a measure in which participants were asked to define 36 key vocabulary words drawn from Miranda warnings. Responses were scored on an ordinal scale with a maximum possible score of 144. Item responses were ranked for frequency distribution. Correlation analyses were performed to examine relationships between MVS scores and language test scores and completion of a civics course.
Results. Results revealed notable gaps in comprehension. While MVS scores positively correlated with language test scores, participants’ scores ranged from 70-125 (M = 97.23, s.d. = 13.36), demonstrating notable gaps in knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in MVS scores of participants who had /had not completed a civics course. Participants understood words occurring frequently in high-frequency general vocabulary with stable meanings most frequently (e.g., silent, crime). Words that occur infrequently or differ in meaning depending on context were understood least frequently (e.g., indigent, counsel, waive).
Conclusions. Despite having typical language skills, high school students demonstrated significant difficulty understanding legal vocabulary, and completion of a civics course was not found to be a protective factor in Miranda vocabulary knowledge. These comprehension gaps may increase adolescents' vulnerability during police interrogations. Findings underscore the important role of language accessibility in protecting young people's constitutional rights during legal interactions.