Arrest and Referral Decisions in Sexual Assault Cases

The Influence of Police Discretion on Case Attrition

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5933462
AutoresEricka Wentz (0000-0001-9502-634X, University of West Georgia, autor correspondente), Kelsey Keimig, Kelsey Anne Keimig (North Dakota State University)
Ano2019
Volume8
Fascículo6
Páginas180
Data de publicação2019-06-11
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSocial Sciences (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760
EditoraMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/socsci8060180
OpenAlexW2951315478
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas10
Referências citadas35

Research on sexual assault case attrition spans from the decision of victims to report the incidents and cooperate with police during investigations through the final case disposition in the courtroom. However, few studies have focused on how police discretion influences attrition at the points of arrest and case referral. The current study examines factors of adult sexual assaults reported to the police to determine which legal and extralegal factors were predictive of arrest and which variables were predictive of police decisions to refer cases to prosecutors for consideration. The results of this study showed victim cooperation and evidence significantly predicted arrest and referral, along with variables which measured the seriousness of the case and victim credibility. The findings confirmed both legally relevant and extralegal variables were important considerations during each decision-making point. Implications arising from these results are discussed

Attrition · Credibility · Criminology · Discretion · Family medicine · Medical emergency · Poison control · Political science · Referral · Seriousness · Sexual assault · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Law · Medicine · Policing Practices and Perceptions · Psychology · Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies · Social Psychology