The Sexual Stratification Hypothesis and Prosecuting Sexual Assault: Is the Decision to File Charges Influenced by the Victim-Suspect Racial-Ethnic Dyad?

2021 ◽  
pp. 001112872199182
Author(s):  
Shamika M. Kelley ◽  
Jessica C. Fleming ◽  
Brittany L. Acquaviva ◽  
Katherine A. Meeker ◽  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Decision To File ◽  
Sexual Stratification

The sexual stratification hypothesis (SSH) posits that criminal-legal responses to sexual victimization differ depending on the victim-suspect racial-ethnic dyad. Existing tests of the SSH have resulted in inconsistent findings. Using data from 389 sexual assault (SA) complaints reported to Los Angeles police and referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, this study examines whether the victim-suspect racial-ethnic dyad and extra-legal victim-related factors shape prosecutorial initial filing decisions. Notably, we build on previous SSH tests by rotating racial-ethnic dyad reference categories to catalog all possible pairwise differences within the set of dummy variables. Findings suggest that prosecutors consider the victim-suspect racial-ethnic dyad and victim-related factors during initial filing. Theoretical advancements, practical implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

“Most [False Reports] Involve Teens”: Officer Attitudes Toward Teenage Sexual Assault Complainants—A Qualitative Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-45
Author(s):  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽  
Brittany E. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sex Crimes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Officer Attitudes ◽  
Practical Implications

Scholars, advocates, and victims have repeatedly criticized the police treatment of sexual assault (SA) complainants. Apathetic attitudes and hostile behavior on the part of the police have likely resulted from socialization into a culture that condones the use of force and violence and blames SA victims for their victimization. Using data from in-depth semistructured interviews with 52 Los Angeles Police Department sex crimes detectives, we examine officer attitudes toward teenage complainants of SA. Notably, almost three fourths of the respondents ( n = 38; 73%) mentioned that teenagers lie about SA. Practical implications, theoretical advancements, and directions for future research are discussed.

The Sexual Stratification Hypothesis: Is the Decision to Arrest Influenced by the Victim/Suspect Racial/Ethnic Dyad?

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1287-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽  
Laura O. Beckman ◽  
Cassia Spohn
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Los Angeles County ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Strength Of Evidence ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Sexual Stratification

The sexual stratification hypothesis suggests that criminal justice responses to sexual victimization will differ depending on the victim/suspect racial/ethnic dyad. Previous research examining the sexual stratification hypothesis has primarily focused on court processes, and the small body of literature examining arrest decisions is dated. There remains substantial opportunity for testing the sexual stratification hypothesis at response stages apart from the court level (i.e., arrest). Using quantitative data on 655 sexual assault complaints that were reported to the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department (LASD) and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 2008, this study examines the effect of the victim/suspect racial/ethnic dyad on the decision to arrest. Findings suggest that police consider the victim/suspect racial/ethnic dyad when making arrest decisions. In addition, victim characteristics, strength of evidence indicators, and measures of case factors predict the police decision to make an arrest.

“A Rape Is a Rape, Regardless of What the Victim Was Doing at the Time”: Detective Views on How “Problematic” Victims Affect Sexual Assault Case Processing

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-44
Author(s):  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽  
Brittany E. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Sex Crimes ◽  
Case Processing ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Sexual Assault Case ◽  
Officer Attitudes ◽  
Depth Interviews

Research finds that “problematic” victim behaviors—for example, alcohol consumption—influence sexual assault case outcomes. Questions remain, however, regarding officer perceptions of what constitutes a problematic victim and how these victims complicate case processing. Indeed, most case processing research has relied on quantitative methods and inquiry into officer attitudes has primarily relied on the use of vignettes. Using data from in-depth interviews with 52 Los Angeles Police Department sex crimes detectives, we examine attitudes toward problematic victims. Overall, we aim to determine whether rape culture beliefs and efforts to operate in a “downstream orientation” influence detective views regarding victims who have been deemed problematic.

scholarly journals Do Corporate Carbon Policies Enhance Legitimacy? A Social Media Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Galán-Valdivieso ◽  
Laura Saraite-Sariene ◽  
Juana Alonso-Cañadas ◽  
María Caba-Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Media ◽  
North America ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Carbon Mitigation ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Carbon Policy ◽  
Carbon Performance ◽  
Practical Implications

Stakeholders are increasingly concerned about climate change and companies’ commitment to anticipate future carbon-related risks, and grant or withdraw support depending on their perceptions of firms’ carbon performance. The aim of this research is to analyse which carbon-related factors influence stakeholders with regards to the legitimacy-granting process. The sample in this study includes 146 firms from North America and Europe committed to carbon mitigation, whose legitimacy is measured via social media interactions. Findings show that setting a corporate carbon policy and disclosing an internal price of carbon are positively linked to legitimacy, while other factors are negatively or not related to legitimacy. This study makes theoretical contributions, proposing a metric based on social media stakeholder engagement to measure corporate legitimacy, as well as practical implications, revealing which carbon information shapes stakeholders’ perception of firms’ climate performance, and opening new possibilities for future research.

Diversity in emergency management scholarship

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
DeeDee M. Bennett, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Minority Communities ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Women and racial/ethnic minorities have long been underrepresented in the field of emergency management. This is true for both practice and research. The lack of women and racial/ethnic minorities in the profession and their perceived absence in research or scholarly study may have impacts on the effectiveness of response and recovery efforts as well as the broader scientific knowledge within the field. Historically, women and racial/ethnic minority communities have disproportionately experienced negative impacts following disasters. Earlier related studies have pointed to the underrepresentation as a contributing factor in community vulnerability. The scarcity of women in practice and as students in this field has been particularly evident in the United States. Using data from a recent survey of emergency management programs nationwide, this article reviews the concerns in research with regards to women and ethnic minority communities during disasters, efforts to increase representation of these groups in the field, and discusses the implications for practice, policy, and future research. The findings show that women have a strong presence in emergency management programs nationwide, and while specific data on racial and ethnic minorities are lacking, the observed increases reported in this article encourages further study.

The case processing of intimate partner sexual assault: a brief review and recommendations for future research

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-288
Author(s):  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽  
Brittany E. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Case Processing ◽  
Victim Satisfaction ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
Current Article ◽  
Sexual Assault Case

Research examining legal responses to violence against women has historically dichotomised sexual assault and intimate partner violence, leaving unanswered questions regarding criminal justice responses to intimate partner violence incidents that involve sexual violence. Although research has examined whether cases involving partners, acquaintances or strangers are handled differently, few scholars consider the specific factors that undermine intimate partner sexual assault case processing. The current article guides future intimate partner sexual assault case-processing research with the hopes of filling this research void. Understanding intimate partner sexual assault case processing is necessary so that police, prosecutors and practitioners can use research-based approaches to increase victim satisfaction and decrease attrition.

It All Just Piles Up: Challenges to Victim Credibility Accumulate to Influence Sexual Assault Case Processing

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (15) ◽  
pp. 3151-3170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Schaefer Morabito ◽  
April Pattavina ◽  
Linda M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Decision Point ◽  
Case Processing ◽  
Police Decision Making ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Sexual Assault Case ◽  
Sheriff's Department

The underreporting of sexual assault is well known to researchers, practitioners, and victims. When victims do report, their complaints are unlikely to end in arrest or prosecution. Existing research on police discretion suggests that the police decision to arrest for sexual assault offenses can be influenced by a variety of legal and extra-legal factors particularly challenges to victim credibility. Although extant literature examines the effects of individual behaviors on police outcomes, less is known about how the accumulation of these behaviors, attributions, and characteristics affects police decision making. Using data collected from the Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff’s Department, we examine one police decision point—the arrest to fill this gap in the literature. First, we examine the extent to which the effects of potential challenges to victim credibility, based on victim characteristics and behaviors, influence the arrest decision, and next, how these predictors vary across circumstances. Specifically, we examine how factors that challenge victim credibility affect the likelihood of arrest in sexual assault cases where the victim and offender are strangers, acquaintances, and intimate partners.

Understanding Guest Satisfaction with Urban Hotel Location

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Yang ◽  
Zhenxing Mao ◽  
Jingyin Tang
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
Guest Satisfaction ◽  
Bus Service ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Bodies Of Water

In this article, we unveil determinants of guest satisfaction with urban hotel locations and disclose what types of locations are preferred by guests. Using data from 8,185 online reviews of 220 Los Angeles hotels checked in during a 1-year period, we apply a mixed-effect ordered logit model to investigate factors determining location evaluation scores. We classify all location-related factors into three categories: accessibility to points of interest, transport convenience, and surrounding environment. Our results suggest that a property’s accessibility to attractions, airports, universities and public transportation, as well as green spaces, bodies of water, and local businesses are significant determinants. Free parking and airport shuttle bus service could mitigate disadvantages related to inferior airport accessibility. Moreover, we underscore different hotel location satisfaction effects across travelers’ experiences and types of travel described in the online reviews. Lastly, different types of travelers demonstrate heterogeneous location preferences related to different tourist attractions.

Beyond Forensic Evidence: Examining Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Mechanisms that Influence Sexual Assault Case Outcomes

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052096187
Author(s):  
Emily Tiry ◽  
Janine Zweig ◽  
Kelly Walsh ◽  
Lauren Farrell ◽  
Lilly Yu
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Criminal Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Forensic Evidence ◽  
Case Processing ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Sexual Assault Case ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Criminal Case Processing

Despite the widespread use of sexual assault medical forensic exams (SAMFEs), practitioners and researchers continue to debate the role of SAMFEs and the evidence they provide in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases. Using data from a review of sexual assault cases reported to police between 2015 and 2017 in two jurisdictions ( n = 534), we use logistic regression examine whether the presence of a SAMFE predicts the likelihood of achieving criminal case processing outcomes and whether the relationship of the SAMFE with criminal case processing outcomes is moderated by other legal and extralegal case characteristics. We did not find evidence that the presence of a SAMFE in a case significantly predicts whether a suspect will be identified, arrested, or convicted overall, but we did find evidence of the SAMFE’s injury documentation value for arrest. Researchers and practitioners should account for the multiple ways SAMFEs can influence decision-making in future research and policymaking.

scholarly journals Why do all good things come to an end? An inquiry into the discontinuation of sport sponsor–sponsee relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark van Rijn ◽  
Samuel Kristal ◽  
Jörg Henseler
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Alliance ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Collaborative Communication ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Factors ◽  
Relational Framework ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for the discontinuation of sports sponsor–sponsee relationships and categorize them. Despite the negative outcomes of a sponsorship dissolution, research on this topic is rather scarce. Design/methodology/approach The paper relies on an analysis of 24 historical cases and 19 in-depth interviews focusing on the Dutch soccer league. Several sponsorship disruptors are identified and clustered into four categories. Findings The four categories for sponsorship dissolution are the following: sponsor-related factors, sponsee-related factors, inter-relational factors and external factors. In total, ten sponsorship disruptors are identified: insufficient value creation, objectives achieved, sports results, signal to society, exclusivity, negativity, personal relationship, changed marketing strategy, financial situation and legislation and regulation. Research limitations/implications This study primarily investigates soccer sponsorship cases. Future research could investigate other sponsorship areas, which could yield different reasons for sponsorship termination. Practical implications Practitioners are advised to view the sponsorship relationship as a strategic alliance, rather than a resource, from the beginning of the sponsorship. A solid relational framework is needed, which is built around the elements of trust, commitment and collaborative communication. If such a foundation does not exist or has eroded, the sponsorship relationship is fragile and can be endangered by various factors. Originality/value This study uses inductive reasoning to devise a framework that enables sponsees to anticipate when sponsors are likely to discontinue their sponsorship such that the sponsees can take actions accordingly. Apart from validating existing reasons for sponsorship dissolution, this research also presents novel and previously undiscovered sponsorship disruptors.

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