Is Knowledge Power? An Investigation of Mock Jurors’ Perceptions of CSA Victim Credibility

In the present study, I investigated the effects of child complainant’s age (5 years, 15 years, a “minor”), the child’s level of sexual knowledge (low, high), and the presence of jury instructions on mock jurors’ perceptions of the child’s credibility and legal decisions regarding a child sexual abuse (CSA) case. Participants read one of 12 trial transcriptions describing an ambiguous CSA case involving a summer camp doctor and female camper. Perceptions of the child complainant and frequency of convictions were also analyzed in relation to mock jurors’ knowledge concerning CSA victims, as measured by the Child Sexual Abuse Misconceptions Questionnaire (Goodman-Delahunty, Cossins, & O’Brien, 2010). Results indicated significant effects for child age, the presence of jury instructions, mock juror gender, and CSA misconception endorsement on mock jurors’ credibility ratings for the child complainant. Conviction decisions were also influenced by child age, the presence of jury instructions, and mock jurors’ endorsements of CSA misconceptions. Additionally, perceptions of the child’s credibility were found to significantly predict mock jurors’ decisions to convict the defendant. Implications for legal professionals and future directions are discussed in terms of these research findings.