Since sexual assault case attrition research has been consistent in documenting that sexual assault complaints fall out of the system at disturbing rates, this article describes a pathway to attrition where managerial concerns incentivize case processing outcomes that remove cases early in the system and scaffolds a decision-making context where rape myth adherence provides sustained rationalizations for closing cases.
Using data on sexual assault incidents reported to the police, we present a quantitative analysis that investigates such a pathway to attrition that considers how police and prosecutors work together at the pre-arrest stage and the extent to which this practice facilitates the use of exceptional clearance police classification to close sexual assault investigations. (Publisher Abstract)