This article examines (1) how offenders (i.e., death row inmates) express forgiveness at the moment of imminent death, (2) why certain expressions of forgiveness are used more frequently than others, and (3) whether there is any change over time in the hierarchy of preferred forgiveness expressions. Offenders frame forgiveness in religious terms for the most part and they prioritize forgiveness primarily by seeking religious forgiveness from others, and secondarily by seeking forgiveness from God for themselves. From there, a declining share of offenders use their final words to forgive others (religious context), and seek forgiveness from others (religious context). Religious coping theory explains this hierarchy as essentially an attempt to gain intimacy with others, followed by a need to establish control and gain comfort and closeness to God. The few nonreligious attempts to seek forgiveness from others are interpreted as efforts to gain empathy with one’s victims, express adaptive guilt, and engage behaviors of reparative action, while nonreligious attempts to offer forgiveness to others are interpreted as efforts to enhance psychological well-being. Analysis of change over time reveals an increase in expressions of religious forgiveness that parallels the implementation of policies that allow the family and friends of murder victims to witness an offender’s execution. The implications of these findings for the future study of forgiveness are discussed.

中文翻译：

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框架宽恕：从犯罪者的角度分析

本文探讨 (1) 罪犯（即死囚）在即将死亡时如何表达宽恕，（2）为什么某些宽恕表达的使用频率高于其他表达，以及（3）随着时间的推移是否有任何变化在首选宽恕表达的层次结构中。犯罪者在很大程度上以宗教术语来构建宽恕，他们首先通过寻求他人的宗教宽恕来优先考虑宽恕，其次是为自己寻求上帝的宽恕。从那以后，越来越少的罪犯用他们的遗言来宽恕他人（宗教背景），并寻求他人的宽恕（宗教背景）。宗教应对理论将这种等级制度解释为本质上是试图与他人建立亲密关系，然后是建立控制权并获得与上帝的舒适和亲近的需要。为数不多的寻求他人宽恕的非宗教尝试被解释为努力获得对受害者的同情、表达适应性内疚和采取补偿行动的行为，而非宗教尝试向他人提供宽恕被解释为努力增强心理健康。随着时间的推移对变化的分析显示，宗教宽恕的表达有所增加，这与允许谋杀受害者的家人和朋友见证罪犯被处决的政策的实施并行。讨论了这些发现对未来宽恕研究的影响。而向他人提供宽恕的非宗教尝试被解释为增强心理健康的努力。随着时间的推移对变化的分析表明，宗教宽恕的表达有所增加，这与允许谋杀受害者的家人和朋友见证罪犯被处决的政策的实施并行。讨论了这些发现对未来宽恕研究的影响。而向他人提供宽恕的非宗教尝试被解释为增强心理健康的努力。随着时间的推移对变化的分析显示，宗教宽恕的表达有所增加，这与允许谋杀受害者的家人和朋友见证罪犯被处决的政策的实施并行。讨论了这些发现对未来宽恕研究的影响。