"That is Not Behavior Consistent With a Rape Victim": The Effects of Officer Displays of Doubt on Sexual Assault Case Processing and Victim Participation.

This article examines the impact of officer doubt—defined as police skepticism regarding a victim's statements, credibility, or case details—on the progression of sexual assault cases within the criminal justice system. Using a random sample of 175 sexual assault police reports from a mid-sized city in the western United States, the study found that officer doubt was present in nearly 27% of cases and significantly decreased the likelihood of arrest and referral for prosecution, independent of other legal and extralegal factors. Officer doubt did not significantly affect victim participation, which was instead influenced by factors such as victim-suspect relationship and victim resistance. The findings highlight officer doubt as a distinct cognitive factor shaping case outcomes and suggest the need for trauma-informed police training and increased victim advocacy to reduce case attrition and improve responses to sexual assault survivors.