The Impact of Victim Physical Maturity and Judicial Instruction on Jury Decision Making in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

The current study investigated the relationship between victim physical maturity and judicial instruction on the outcomes of child sexual abuse (CSA) trials. We employed a 2 (Victim physical maturity: Less mature vs. More mature) x 2 (Judicial instruction: Psychosocial-specific instruction vs. General instruction) between-subjects design. Participants read a vignette detailing a case of CSA, render a verdict, and respond to case-related measures (e.g., victim credibility, perceptions of psychosocial maturity, responsibility). Results indicated that jurors favored prepubescent looking victims, as compared to postpubescent looking victims. Moreover, results indicated psychosocial-specific judicial instruction led to increased positive perceptions of the victim regardless of pubertal status. This research has important implications for the conviction rates in CSA trials involving older and more mature looking victims.