NCJ Number
65180
Journal
Journal of the Forensic Science Society Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1979) Pages: 95-106
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
ANALYSIS OF 100 CASES OF RAPE IN 1 COUNTY OVER A 30-MONTH PERIOD REVEALS THAT MORE WHITE THAN BLACK WOMEN ARE BEING RAPED, THAT THE OFFENDERS ARE BECOMING MORE AGGRESSIVE, AND THAT FEW ARE PUNISHED.
Abstract
GENERAL STUDIES OF RAPE CASES WERE ANALYZED REGARDING AGE AND RACE OF VICTIM, MARITAL STATUS, VIRGINITY, INJURY TO VICTIM, TIME AND PLACE OF ASSAULT, CREDIBILITY OF VICTIM, RACE AND NUMBER OF ASSAILANTS, EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME, WEAPONS USED, AND DISPOSITION OF CASES AND COURT ACTION. DATA WERE DERIVED FROM INTERVIEWS AND EXAMINATIONS OF WOMEN ALLEGEDLY RAPED. VICTIMS RANGED IN AGE FROM 10 TO 85 YEARS, WITH 18 YEARS OLDS REPRESENTING 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL. MORE THAN HALF OF THE VICTIMS WERE SINGLE WHILE ONLY 13 WERE MARRIED AND 6 WERE VIRGINS. A TOTAL OF 14 INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN JULY AND 13 IN OCTOBER. FRIDAYS WERE THE MOST COMMON DAY OF THE WEEK FOR ASSAULTS, AND TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS THE LEAST FREQUENT FOR RAPE. THE PERIOD FROM 8 P.M. TO 4 A.M. ACCOUNTED FOR 50 PERCENT OF THE CRIMES. OF THE MALE ASSAILANTS INVOLVED, MOST WERE BLACK. MOREOVER, 43 BLACK MALES ASSAULTED 37 WHITE FEMALES, WHILE ONLY 2 WHITE MALES ASSAULTED 1 BLACK FEMALE. IN ONLY 9 PERCENT OF THE CASES WERE THE ASSAILANTS KNOWN TO THE VICTIMS PRIOR TO THE ATTACKS. ROBBERY ACCOMPANIED ASSAULT IN 42 PERCENT OF THE CASES. OBTAINING EVIDENCE AND DETERMINING THE CREDIBILITY OF THE VICTIM ARE TWO ASPECTS OF RAPE THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO INVESTIGATE, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE CRIME. IN ADDITION, THE CRIME SCENE IS SHIFTING FROM THE AUTOMOBILE TO THE VICTIM'S DWELLING. FEW RAPISTS RECEIVED SENTENCES THAT REMOVED THEM FROM THE STREETS FOR SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF TIME. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)