Main description:

In Wrongful Conviction in Sexual Assault, Matthew Barry Johnson introduces new directions in wrongful conviction research and understanding. Citing Innocence Project and National Registry of Exoneration data, the book identifies sexual assault as the predominant offense type associated with confirmed wrongful convictions in the US. Johnson outlines the differential risk of wrongful conviction associated with stranger rape, acquaintance rape, and
intra-familial child sexual abuse. He also introduces new terms and concepts such as "black box" investigation, illustrating the lack of transparency in the production of prosecution evidence; a four-part stranger rape thesis; and the "moral outrage - moral correction" process that results in cognitive and emotional
factors that interfere with the evaluation of criminal evidence. The book also includes chapters on racial bias in rape prosecution, and the relationship of serial sex offending to wrongful conviction. Citing both foundational and newly-introduced conviction research, Johnson illustrates unexamined aspects of well-known wrongful conviction cases (i.e. The Central Park Five, Steve Avery, Ronald Cotton, The Norfolk Four) and presents the lessons from lesser known wrongful convictions.
Wrongful Conviction in Sexual Assault provides valuable new perspectives and insight for psychologists, defense lawyers, prosecutors, crime investigators, and social justice scholars.

Contents:

Introduction and Overview

Chapter One: The Modern Politics of Sexual Assault Prosecution

Chapter Two: Rape and Wrongful Conviction

Chapter Three: Race and Rape Prosecution in U.S. History

Chapter Four: Serial Rapists and Wrongful Conviction

Chapter Five: Child Sexual Abuse Hysteria

Chapter Six: Processes, Models, and Concepts in Wrongful Conviction

Chapter Seven: Prospective and Future Directions

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D