Sexual assault case attrition is a significant concern, with only a small portion of reported assaults resulting in criminal sanctions. While a considerable amount of research has examined arrest and prosecution in sexual assault cases, fewer studies have focused on other outcomes, such as charge reduction and conviction. These are particularly important to examine due to the implications of sex offender registration and management policies. The present study sought to fill this gap through analysis of a sample of reported sexual assaults from two jurisdictions in the northeastern U.S. Informed by the focal concerns perspective, predictors of conviction severity (none, misdemeanor/violation, felony) and conviction type (none, non-sexual, sexual) were examined, in addition to correlates of charge reduction between arrest and conviction. Indicators of practical constraints were significant predictors of both conviction outcomes. Correlates of charge reduction were opposite to the hypotheses, illustrating that seemingly stronger, more serious cases were more likely to have charge reductions. These findings suggest that charge reduction may be reflective of plea bargaining practices, as well as the level of collaboration and agreement between police and prosecutors. Implications for future research, including continued examination of charge reduction and conviction in sexual assault cases, are discussed. (Publisher abstract provided.)
Downloads
Similar Publications
- Beyond Adverse Childhood Experiences: What Should be Considered for Trauma-Focused Adolescent Mental Health Risk Assessments?
- “They had to change the model to fit the victim, versus the victim having to fit the model”: Innovative solutions in community response to commercial sexual exploitation
- Improved visibility of character conflicts in quasi-median networks with the EMPOP NETWORK software