Research suggests that victim cooperation is a strong predictor of arrest and prosecution in sexual assault cases. Relatively little research has focused on identifying the factors that shape the decision to cooperate and the research that does exist is largely atheoretical. We address these gaps by examining victim cooperation using a revised version of the focal concerns perspective. We use data on cases reported to law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles to estimate models using factors situated within three victim focal concerns—crime seriousness, costs of cooperation, and likelihood of conviction—for three stages of the case process. We supplement these results with qualitative data from police reports regarding the reasons why victims refused to cooperate. The findings of this study provide initial support for the theoretical development of victim cooperation using the focal concerns perspective and provide potential guidance to criminal justice practitioners on how to increase victim cooperation.
(Publisher abstract provided.)
Downloads
Similar Publications
- Dimensions of functional social support and depressive symptoms: A longitudinal investigation of women seeking help for intimate partner violence
- Characteristics of Family Treatment Courts, the Families They Serve, and Their Capacity to Meet the Demands of their Communities
- Examining Health and Wealth Correlates of Perceived Financial Vulnerability: A Normative Study