Differential Treatment of Sexual Assault Cases by US Army Law Enforcement Personnel

Abstract

Using data received through the Freedom of Information Act, this observational study explores whether Army law enforcement personnel do not find probable cause in sexual assault cases at higher rates than in other serious crimes. The study compares sexual assaults, homicides, robberies, and assaults in the Army from 2008 to 2014 and July 2015 to 2017. For the first period, the study finds that the odds are 5.30 times greater that Army law enforcement will not find probable cause in a sexual assault case when compared to other crimes, and for the second period the odds are 4.39 times greater.