Thank You Israel For Seeking Justice

Me: is it true that judges are known for giving harsher sentences when they are hungry and where on the planet is this known to be true

Google Gemini:

Yes, there is a well-known observation, often referred to as the "hungry judge effect," which suggests that judges may give harsher rulings when they are hungry. This idea gained prominence from a specific study conducted on Israeli parole boards.

In this 2011 study, researchers analyzed over 1,000 parole decisions made by judges over a period of time. They found a striking pattern:

At the beginning of a session (presumably after having eaten), judges granted parole about 65% of the time.

As the session progressed and approached a meal break, the rate of parole approval dropped dramatically, nearing zero just before the break.

After the meal break, the approval rate returned to around 65%.1   

1.

Kahneman, Mental Effort, and the Scary Parole Study - Econlib

www.econlib.org

The researchers theorized that this effect might be due to mental depletion or ego depletion. The idea is that making repeated decisions is mentally taxing, and as judges become fatigued and potentially hungry, they are more likely to revert to the default option, which in parole hearings is often to deny parole. The break and subsequent replenishment of glucose levels are thought to restore their capacity for more nuanced decision-making.

While this study brought the "hungry judge effect" to the forefront and it has been widely cited, it's important to note that its findings and the underlying explanations have been debated and re-analyzed. Some subsequent research has suggested that other factors, such as the order of cases and scheduling priorities, might also play a role.

Despite the ongoing discussion, the original study on Israeli parole boards is the primary source for the observation that judges might make harsher decisions before a meal break. So, the location where this phenomenon was initially observed and gained attention is Israel.

"Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you."-(Deuteronomy 16:20)