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Prosecutorial Discretion And Decision Making : Processing Sexual Assault Cases, Megan Kennedy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examines prosecutorial discretion and decision making in the processing of sexual assault cases. The literature has long focused on the idea that prosecutors make decisions with the goal of avoiding uncertainty, the uncertainty being a potential acquittal. Researchers suggest this goal is the result of prosecutors’ beliefs that professional advancement is dependent upon one’s conviction record. Much of the research in this area has relied upon quantitative methods and analyses. The results of the analyses lead researchers to infer that prosecutors do indeed make charging decisions with an eye toward avoiding uncertainty. Specifically related to sexual assault cases, …