Beyond the Bystander ‘She called me a name that I didn't like’

Kitty Genovese in her 1961 mugshot.

In a study by Dr Hall and colleagues in Vienna, the questions raised by the parole hearings of Winston Moseley, the man convicted of the infamous murder of Kitty Genovese, extend far beyond a single offender. In everyday life, we routinely judge whether people are genuinely sorry, have learned from their mistakes, or have changed for the better. In criminal justice, however, those judgements can have profound consequences. 

For example, in recent news debates about prison overcrowding and expanded early-release schemes in the UK have brought difficult questions about rehabilitation, risk, and remorse into sharper focus. Policymakers have considered measures that would allow some prisoners to spend less time in custody, reflecting concerns about prison capacity and the long-term sustainability of the system. Assessments of rehabilitation, responsibility, and risk often influence release decisions. Yet Winston Moseley's case reminds us that these qualities cannot be directly observed. We cannot see remorse, insight, or personal change. Instead, we infer them from behaviour, language, and self-presentation.

This raises a broader question for psychologists, policymakers, and the public alike. If genuine change can never be known with certainty, how confident should we be in our judgements about who is ready to return to society? Moseley's case does not provide an answer, but it highlights why the question matters, particularly in the current UK context. As pressure grows to release more prisoners earlier, the challenge is not simply deciding who should be released but determining how we recognise genuine change when we can never directly observe it.

Dr Hall’s full paper is here, but a recent summary of the paper was published at The Psychologist - Beyond the bystander: What Kitty Genovese’s killer still teaches us | BPS

In everyday life, we make these judgements constantly. In parole decisions, the consequences can affect both personal freedom and public safety. Express your thoughts in the poll linked below:

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