Predicting Criminal Justice Outcomes for Child Sexual Abuse Cases: The Role of the Forensic Interview

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is an emotionally-charged topic that is subject to unique challenges throughout every phase of the criminal justice system. When investigating CSA, the first and arguably most critical step of the investigative process is the forensic interview of the suspected child victim. The current project will identify initial forensic interview and clinical care predictors of criminal justice outcomes. The transcripts of forensic interviews of suspected CSA victims who sought treatment at a large, Midwestern child advocacy center within the past two years will be content analyzed to identify and code themes found within the narratives. Data collected as part of routine clinical care in the assessment and treatment of patients also will be collected and coded. Alleged CSA cases that are deemed as “potential positive abuse”, “potential abuse”, and “unclear but suspicious” by the forensic interview will be followed through the criminal justice system, and legal outcomes (i.e., no criminal charges pressed, prosecution, conviction, and sentencing) will be measured. Results and directions for future research will be discussed.

Authors

• Michelle Lynn Wojcik, University of Cincinnati

• Josh Long, University of Cincinnati

• Nicole V. Lasky, University of Cincinnati

• Amy Cassedy, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

• Emily Eismann, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children

• Robert A. Shapiro, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children

• Bonnie S. Fisher, University of Cincinnati