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Attrition in Danish rape reported crimes

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Abstract

This study investigated attrition in reported rape crimes in the earlier processing phases, including decisions by the police and the prosecution regarding case closure. Furthermore, this study examined potential differences in attrition patterns and legal decisions regarding case closure between a group of victims in contact with a specialized multidisciplinary treatment unit for rape victims compared to a group of victims not in contact with this unit. The study was conducted as a case-file analysis of all rape cases reported to a regional Danish police department (n=282) over a three-year period. Most cases were closed in the initial processing phases, with the police closing 61.7 % of the cases and the prosecution closing 53.7 % of the cases referred by the police. Insufficient evidence and the victim’s unwillingness to participate in the investigation were important factors for attrition. We found no significant differences in attrition patterns or legal reasons regarding case closure between the group of victims who had been in contact with the specialized multidisciplinary treatment unit for rape victims and those who had not. More research is needed to explore effects of specialized multidisciplinary treatment units for rape victims on the legal process following a rape crime.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Nina Beck Hansen, Louise Hjort Nielsen & Rikke Holm Bramsen

  2. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Section of Clinical Forensic Medicine, University of Aarhus. The Sexual Assault Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

    Ole Ingemann-Hansen

  3. Department of Psychology, National Center for Psychotraumatology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Ask Elklit

  4. Psychology Research Institute, University of Ulster, Ulster, Ireland

    Ask Elklit

Authors
  1. Nina Beck Hansen
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  2. Louise Hjort Nielsen
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  3. Rikke Holm Bramsen
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  4. Ole Ingemann-Hansen
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  5. Ask Elklit
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Correspondence to Nina Beck Hansen.

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Hansen, N.B., Nielsen, L.H., Bramsen, R.H. et al. Attrition in Danish rape reported crimes. J Police Crim Psych 30, 221–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-014-9159-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-014-9159-9

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