Prosecutorial Decision Making and Case Attrition for Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Approach to Case Rejection Decisions

Abstract When statistically related to child sexual abuse (CSA), background information can assist decision-making in investigations of CSA allegations. Here, we studied the use of such background information among Finnish police officers. We analyzed their ability to identify and interpret CSA-related and CSA-unrelated background information both when placed in mock scenarios and when presented as separate, individual variables. We also measured the ability to correctly estimate the probability of CSA based on such background information. In the context of mock scenarios, officers were better in discarding CSA-unrelated variables than in identifying CSA-related ones. Within-subject performance across different scenarios was, however, not consistent. When information was presented as separate variables, officers tended to incorrectly consider many CSA-unrelated variables as CSA-related. Officers performed better in recognizing whether actual CSA-related variables increase or decrease the probability of CSA. Finally, officers were inaccurate in identifying variables that are CSA-related only for boys or only for girls. When asked to estimate the CSA probability of mock scenarios, participants were accurate only in assessing low-probability cases, and this was not associated with the ability to identify CSA-related and CSA-unrelated variables. We conclude that police officers would benefit from more training in using background information and from using available decision-making support tools in the context of investigating CSA allegations.

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The Police Use of Background Information Related to Alleged Victims in Mock Evaluations of Child Sexual Abuse

10.31234/osf.io/evu9f ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Alessandro Tadei ◽

Pekka Santtila ◽

Jan Antfolk

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Sexual Abuse ◽

Child Sexual Abuse ◽

Police Officers ◽

Base Rate ◽

Background Information ◽

Support Tools ◽

Low Probability ◽

Subject Performance ◽

Decision Making Support

When statistically related to child sexual abuse (CSA), background information can assist decision-making in investigations of CSA allegations. Here, we studied the use of such background information among Finnish police officers. We analyzed their ability to identify and interpret CSA-related and -unrelated background information both when placed in mock scenarios and when presented as separate variables. We also measured the ability to correctly estimate the base-rate of CSA allegations being true based on such background information. In the context of mock scenarios, officers were better in discarding CSA-unrelated variables than in identifying CSA-related ones. Within-subject performance across different scenarios was, however, not consistent. When information was presented as separate variables, officers tended to incorrectly consider many CSA-unrelated variables as CSA-related. Officers performed well in recognizing whether CSA-related variables increase or decrease CSA risk. Finally, officers were inaccurate in identifying variables that are CSA-related only for boys or only for girls. When asked to estimate the CSA probability of mock scenarios, participants were accurate only in assessing low-probability cases, and this was not associated with the ability to identify CSA-related and -unrelated variables. We conclude that police officers would benefit from more training in using background information and from using available decision-making support tools in the context of investigating CSA allegations.

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STRATEGI DALAM MELAKUKAN TERMINASI PADA KEKERASAN SEKSUAL ANAK DI LRSAMPK DARUSSA’ADAH

EMPATI Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial ◽

10.15408/empati.v8i1.16404 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 53-59

Author(s):

Rika Dewi Auliani Usman ◽

Nurul Husna

Keyword(s):

Sexual Abuse ◽

Child Sexual Abuse ◽

Data Collection ◽

Sexual Harassment ◽

Social Workers ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Sexual Exploitation ◽

Field Research ◽

Qualitative Approach ◽

Sexual Crimes

Abstract. Sexual crimes occur not only in urban areas but also in villages. This crime has a big impact especially the majority of victims are children. LRSAMPK Darussa’adah is an institution whose role is to provide services for victims. The purpose of this study was to determine the types of cases of child sexual violence, the strategies carried out by the assistants in terminating and barriers, challenges and support in terminating. This is a field research with a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques are observation, interviews and documentation, then the research results are analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the types of child sexual abuse cases handled by LRSAMPK Darussa’adah were rape, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, neglect of the baby, sexual abuse and abduction for sexual purposes. The accompanying strategy in terminating child sexual abuse cases is to convince the victims’ families and communities by involving referrals, “geuchik”, social workers and related agencies. The challenges of Darussa’adah social workers are when client stakeholders are difficult to ask for information about victims and there are some people who refuse and some accept victims. The support received by Darussa’adah social workers is when the referrals are willing to work together to find ways to facilitate the termination of victims, and also families and there are still people who are willing to accept among the majority of people who refuse victims returning, Abstrak. Kejahatan seksual marak terjadi tidak hanya di perkotaan tetapi meluas ke perkampungan. Kejahatan ini berdampak besar khususnya sebagian besar korbannya adalah anak-anak. LRSAMPK Darussa’adah merupakan lembaga yang berperan memberi pelayanan bagi korban. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui jenis kasus kekerasan seksual anak, strategi yang dilakukan oleh pendamping dalam melakukan terminasi dan hambatan, tantangan maupun dukungan dalam melakukan terminasi. Ini adalah penelitian lapangan (field research) dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data adalah observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi, selanjutnya hasil penelitian dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa jenis kasus kekerasan seksual anak yang ditangani LRSAMPK Darussa’adah adalah perkosaan, pelecehan seksual, eksploitasi seksual, penelantaran bayi, pencabulan perdagangan dan penculikan untuk tujuan seksual. Strategi pendamping dalam melakukan terminasi pada kasus kekerasan seksual anak adalah dengan meyakinkan keluarga korban maupun masyarakat dengan melibatkan perujuk, geuchik, pekerja sosial dan dinas terkait. Hambatan dan tantangan pekerja sosial Darussa’adah adalah ketika stakeholder klien sulit dimintai keterangan mengenai korban dan ada sebagian masyarakat yang menolak dan sebagian menerima korban. Adapun dukungan yang diterima pekerja sosial Darussa’adah adalah ketika perujuk bersedia kerjasama mencari cara agar mempermudah terminasi korban, dan juga keluarga serta masih ada masyarakat yang mau menerima di tengah-tengah sebagian besar masyarakat yang menolak korban kembali.

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