NCJ Number
41641
Date Published
1974
Length
16 pages
Annotation
PRE- AND POST-OPERATION COMPARISONS WERE USED TO ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RAPE REDUCTION PROJECT (RRP), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF RAPE OFFENDERS.
Abstract
TO FACILITATE ITS GOAL OF INCREASED RAPE PROSECUTIONS, THE RRP INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM ELEMENTS: DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL PROCEDURES IN RAPE CASES; EXPANDED ADVOCACY SERVICES FOR RAPE VICTIMS; EXPANDED MEDICAL CAPABILITIES FOR HANDLING RAPE VICTIMS; A THIRD PARTY REPORTING SYSTEM FOR RAPE VICTIMS; AND AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON THE AVAILABLE SERVICES FOR VICTIMS. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO INCREASE THE INSTANCES OF REPORTED RAPE, TO INCREASE VICTIM WILLINGNESS TO PROSECUTE, TO INCREASE APPREHENSIONS OF RAPE SUSPECTS, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CASES ACCEPTED FOR PROSECUTION AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS CONVICTED ON RAPE CHARGES. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT DATA PROCESSING UNIT, THE POLICE SEX AND MORALS OFFENSES UNIT CASE LOGBOOK, AND THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. PRE-POST RAPE REDUCTION PROJECT COMPARISONS WERE USED TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT. A NUMBER OF LIMITATIONS IN THIS EVALUATION DESIGN WERE NOTED. ON THE BASIS OF THE DATA ANALYSIS THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS WERE DRAWN; THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED RAPE INCIDENTS; THERE WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN VICTIM WILLINGNESS TO PROSECUTE CASES IN WHICH THERE WAS A KNOWN SUSPECT; AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES ACCEPTED FOR PROSECUTION. BECAUSE OF CERTAIN DATA INSUFFICIENCIES, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE IF THE NUMBER OF SUSPECTS ARRESTED OR CONVICTED INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE POST PERIOD....DMC