Citation

Block SD, Johnson H, Williams LM, Shockley K, Wang E, Widaman KF. Child Maltreat. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10775595221074375

PMID

35081788

Abstract

A retrospective examination of 500 child sexual abuse reports to prosecutor's offices analyzed case progress and predictors of attrition, including details about alleged perpetrator(s), victim(s), their families, and other case characteristics. Less than one in five cases proceeded to prosecution. For the full sample we describe all outcomes and differentiate prosecutors' decisions to (a) intake/close, (b) investigate/close, or (c) prosecute; these stages comprise a 3-level dependent variable. Because it is important to understand which variables are associated with progress to each stage, we examined unique predictors of the decision to 'investigate', and to 'prosecute'. Our multivariate analyses examine 325 cases with a perpetrator aged 16 and older. Caregiver support and perpetrator age were significant predictors across all outcome variables, while other factors were barriers to the 'prosecute' decision only.

RESULTS highlight the complexities of case characteristics that are important at different stages of prosecutorial decision-making and inform future interventions.

Language: en

Keywords

childhood sexual abuse; criminal justice; legal aspects