Wrongful Convictions in Sexual Assault Cases: Evidentiary Factors, Case Characteristics, & Impact of DNA Testing Over Time

• In Event: Sexual Assault Case Processing: Changes and Challenges

Abstract

Despite the significant impact DNA testing has had on criminal investigations, its influence on wrongful convictions, particularly for sexual assault cases where it often plays a central role, remains largely unexplored. This study analyzed data from the National Registry of Exonerations to identify common evidentiary factors contributing to wrongful convictions in sexual assault and sexual murder cases and examine trends in sexual crime exonerations before and after the widespread implementation of pre-trial DNA testing. Chi-square analyses and logistic regressions revealed that evidentiary factors, including eyewitness misidentifications, false confessions, and invalid forensic evidence, significantly varied based on the victim-offender relationship and whether the case involved murder charges. Interrupted time series analyses using ARIMA modeling demonstrated a significant immediate reduction in wrongful convictions coinciding with DNA testing's adoption, particularly pronounced in cases involving stranger sexual assaults, with subsequent continued declines. Findings underscore the critical role DNA evidence has played in reshaping investigative practices and reducing wrongful convictions in sexual assault cases, particularly those involving strangers.

Authors

• Marina Sorochinski, St. John's University

• Molly Sigman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

• Emmanuel Borukhov, St. John's University