POLICE INVESTIGATION OF RAPE: ROADBLOCKS AND SOLUTIONS

PROJECT SUMMARY 2003-IJ-CX-1027

This research will explore the views of police officers on the frustration, and obstacles to the successful completion of a rape investigation. This project will examine through a survey methodolgy at least 150 first responce patrol officers and sheriff's deputies to both ask them about these problems, and to look at their responses to a highly validated rape myth scale. They will then asked for their views on ways that they or otheres have overcome these obstacles and successful completed investigation. the second group to be studied will be 25 experienced investigators, who will be asked similar questions, only in a qualitative format in more depth and covering more issue, such as female offenders, false reports, false confession male victims and lesbian rape. These investigators will be asked about marginalization, stress , time management, and other problems that they might face. They will be asked what techniques that they use in addition to basic police work, such as team investigation or profiling.