Examining the effects of police sexual assault investigations training and jurisdiction type on officers’ behavior in simulated scenarios

• In Event: Panel 1: Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Kits

Abstract

We examined data from two studies in Kentucky to assess the effects of jurisdiction type – urban, suburban, rural – and training completion on police officers’ behavior in simulated sexual assault cases. Study 1 used a randomized experiment to examine the impact of training and jurisdiction on decisions made by 318 officers in vignettes depicting a sexual assault case. In Study 2, we used a randomized design to assess the effects of training and jurisdiction on officer performance in 84 simulated interviews between police officers and standardized actors. Results demonstrated that while jurisdictional variation was detected, training was effective at improving performance in both hypothetical cases and simulated interviews. Findings, policy implications for police sexual assault investigations training, and future research will be discussed.

Authors

• Bradley A. Campbell, University of Louisville

• Katelyn McMahon, University of Louisville

• David Lapsey, Jr., Indiana University Southeast

• Heather M. Ouellette, University of Louisville

• Thomas W. Hughes, University of Louisville

• Rachel K. Carter, University of Louisville

• R. Edward Carter, University of Louisville