NCJ Number
230537
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 332-361
Date Published
June 2010
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This study sought to identify specific elements within the act of sexual assault which distinguish between lethal and non-lethal outcomes.
Abstract
Results of the analysis indicate that certain characteristics of the crime itself and certain characteristics of the victim appear strongly associated with fatal outcomes in sexual assaults, while situational characteristics appear relatively weakly associated with lethality. Few criminal events evoke the level of emotional anxiety of the public as do violent sexual assaults. Violent sexual assaults can be seen within their own actions as containing contradictory and irrational elements which contribute to the sense of fear. Previous research suggests that within violent sexual assaults, repeated patterns and characteristics associated with particular outcomes can be found. This study analyzed three aspects of a population of violent sexual offenders; the situational aspects of their crimes, their victims, and the particular characteristics which constitute the crime event itself. The objective was the identification of specific elements within these crimes which distinguish between lethal and non-lethal outcomes. Tables, references, and appendix