The objective of this study for the Office of the Status of Women was to describe and analyse factors influencing prosecutorial decisions to proceed with, discontinue or enter into charge negotiations in cases referred to state and territory public prosecutions offices. Denise Lievore's findings suggest that existing policies and guidelines provide a reasonable safeguard against...

In this report for the Office of the Status of Women Denise Lievore reviews the international literature on recidivism rates and the risk factors that predict sexual, violent and general reoffending, and identifies a number of specific predictors of sexual reoffending. Victorian police data on persons apprehended for sexual assault of adults in 2001 shows...

Denise Lievore presents a thematic analysis of interviews with Crown Prosecutors from five Australian jurisdictions. The interviews shed light on the practical factors that are taken into account in decisions to proceed with or discontinue sexual assault cases, as well as prosecutors' views of what constitutes victim credibility.