According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more than 125,000 sexual assaults were reported to the police annually from 2015 to 2018. The number of crimes reported represents a small portion of the sexual assault victims experience each year and significant numbers of cases that are reported “fall out” of the system at different decision points. This is known as case attrition, and research has established the importance of studying attrition. Studies that examine sexual assault case attrition and the legal system’s response have focused on key decision points, including police officers’ decision to found cases, arrest suspects, and prosecutors’ charging decisions. Few studies have examined specific investigative actions. Understanding these actions will help shed light on case attrition in the criminal-legal system. The current study utilized a sample of 493 sexual assault case files to measure the investigative actions taken in these cases. We quantified information-gathering activities from people and physical evidence and examined relationships between these activities and case characteristics. Police investigators attempted to contact victims at least once in a majority of cases, but no suspects were investigated in over half of cases. Case characteristics, including whether the victim provided a sworn statement and if they were perceived as cooperative, were associated with several investigative actions. Directions for future research are discussed.

根据联邦调查局的数据，从 2015 年到 2018 年，每年向警方报告的性侵犯事件超过 125,000 起。报告的犯罪数量代表了每年性侵犯受害者经历的一小部分，以及大量报告的案件“在不同的决策点脱离系统。这被称为案例损耗，研究已经确定了研究损耗的重要性。检查性侵犯案件流失率和法律系统反应的研究集中在关键决策点上，包括警务人员立案、逮捕嫌疑人和检察官的指控决定。很少有研究考察具体的调查行动。了解这些行为将有助于阐明刑事法律系统中的案件减员。当前的研究使用了 493 个性侵犯案件档案的样本来衡量在这些案件中采取的调查行动。我们量化了从人和物证收集信息的活动，并检查了这些活动与案件特征之间的关系。在大多数情况下，警方调查人员试图至少与受害者联系一次，但在超过一半的案件中没有调查任何嫌疑人。案件特征，包括受害者是否提供宣誓陈述以及他们是否被视为合作，与若干调查行动有关。讨论了未来研究的方向。我们量化了从人和物证收集信息的活动，并检查了这些活动与案件特征之间的关系。在大多数情况下，警方调查人员试图至少与受害者联系一次，但在超过一半的案件中没有调查任何嫌疑人。案件特征，包括受害者是否提供宣誓陈述以及他们是否被视为合作，与若干调查行动有关。讨论了未来研究的方向。我们量化了从人和物证收集信息的活动，并检查了这些活动与案件特征之间的关系。在大多数情况下，警方调查人员试图至少与受害者联系一次，但在超过一半的案件中没有调查任何嫌疑人。案件特征，包括受害者是否提供宣誓陈述以及他们是否被视为合作，与若干调查行动有关。讨论了未来研究的方向。与多项调查行动有关。讨论了未来研究的方向。与多项调查行动有关。讨论了未来研究的方向。