@article{ref1,
title="The likelihood of early guilty pleas following digitally recorded victim statements for family violence",
journal="Journal of interpersonal violence",
year="2021",
author="Walton, Darren and Ellwood, Ross and Martin, Samara",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="This study follows 4715 Family Harm cases for which charges are laid (from around 15,000 events from 2018-2020). Comparisons are made between cases where a digitally recorded victim video statement (VVS) is taken to those who (1) make a written statement, (2) refuse to make any statement and (3) present at the public counter and make a written statement. <br><br>FINDINGS indicate that VVS increases the rates of an early guilty plea by 95% (OR = 1.95, LCL = 1.34, UCL = 2.7) compared to those who decline a VVS and have a written statement. No difference is observed for those presenting to report an event at a public counter. A more modest effect is observed comparing those who refuse a statement altogether (OR = 1.28, LCL = 1.03, UCL = 1.60). A VVS is nearly twice as likely to lead to an early guilty plea. It is reasoned that there is a poor rate of guilty pleas for written statements, rather than an elevation in rates for VVS. Age and gender are unrelated to the elevated rate of pleading guilty to a VVS. Event seriousness is inversely related to pleading guilty, whereas having many prior convictions or being remanded increases the likelihood of the guilty plea.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0886-2605",
doi="10.1177/08862605211055083",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/08862605211055083"
}