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The effect of expert witness testimony and complainant cognitive statements on mock jurors' perceptions of rape trial testimony
Ryan, Nathan Westera, Nina
Ryan, Nathan
Westera, Nina
Author
Abstract
This study explores the influence on juror decision-making of expert witness and rape complainant testimony that explains a complainant's counter-intuitive behaviour. A total of 280 participants read a vignette of a date rape scenario containing one of four combinations of conditions: expert witness testimony present or not present and complainant's explanatory statement present or not present. No significant effects were found between conditions for defendant guilt likelihood and complainant credibility or blameworthiness, but the participants judged the defendant as more blameworthy when both the complainant's explanatory statement and the expert witness testimony were present. The participants’ qualitative responses about their reasoning suggest that they were more likely to use evidence-based reasoning in their judgements when expert witness testimony and cognitive statements were present. This emphasises the importance of police and prosecutors finding ways to mitigate the potentially detrimental effects of rape myths when gathering evidence and constructing a case.
Keywords
blame attribution, expert evidence, investigative interviewing, rape, rape myths, sexual offences, story model
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
Psychiatry, Psychology and Law
Book
Volume
25
Issue
5
Page Range
693-705
Article Number
ACU Department
Thomas More Law School
Faculty of Law and Business
Faculty of Law and Business
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Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled