Rape Myth Acceptance in the Criminal Justice System: Do Criminal Justice Decision-Makers Endorse Rape Myths?

Abstract

Rape myths, or false beliefs about rape and sexual assault, held by professionals in the American Criminal Justice System have contributed to reduced rates of sexual offense case reporting, biased investigative procedures, and the nonprosecution of offenders. Thus, Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) has been considered by scholars to be a direct contributor to the under-sentencing or non-sentencing of perpetrators of sexual assault and rape. Prior research on RMA in the American Criminal Justice System has disproportionately focused on criminal justice students and law enforcement professionals. With the potential to influence victim reporting and rape case outcomes, an understanding of RMA held by actual decision-makers in all steps of the criminal-legal process is needed. This study extends prior research in this area by examining RMA among various criminal justice decision-makers, including police officers, prosecuting attorneys, and jurors, and comparing the RMA held by a sample of criminal justice decision-makers to that of a sample of the general public. Specifically, this study used data collected from a nationwide survey of criminal justice decision-makers (n = 228) and members of the general public (n = 865) to examine the presence and predictors of RMA. Findings reveal that, in the aggregate, while both samples held RMA scores indicative of nonacceptance of such attitudes, criminal justice decision-makers reported higher RMA than members of the general public, with younger males, more conservative-leaning respondents, and higher socioeconomically advantaged individuals holding the highest rates of RMA in both samples. Policy implications, limitations, and directions for future research based on these findings are discussed within.