TY  - SER
AU  - Walton, Darren
AU  - Ellwood, Ross
AU  - Martin, Samara
TI  - The likelihood of early guilty pleas following digitally recorded victim statements for family violence
PY  - 2021///
PB  - Sage, 
KW  - New Zealand Police | Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa
KW  - COURTS
KW  - EVIDENCE
KW  - FAMILY VIOLENCE
KW  - INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
KW  - PERPETRATORS
KW  - POLICE PROCEDURES
KW  - TECHNOLOGY
KW  - VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
KW  - VIDEO EVIDENCE
KW  - NEW ZEALAND
N1  - Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2021, First published online, 26 November 2021
N2  - This study follows 4715 Family Harm cases for which charges are laid (from around 15,000 events from 2018–2020). Comparisons are made between cases where a digitally recorded victim video statement (VVS) is taken to those who (1) make a written statement, (2) refuse to make any statement and (3) present at the public counter and make a written statement. Findings indicate that VVS increases the rates of an early guilty plea by 95% (OR = 1.95, LCL = 1.34, UCL = 2.7) compared to those who decline a VVS and have a written statement. No difference is observed for those presenting to report an event at a public counter. A more modest effect is observed comparing those who refuse a statement altogether (OR = 1.28, LCL = 1.03, UCL = 1.60). A VVS is nearly twice as likely to lead to an early guilty plea. It is reasoned that there is a poor rate of guilty pleas for written statements, rather than an elevation in rates for VVS. Age and gender are unrelated to the elevated rate of pleading guilty to a VVS. Event seriousness is inversely related to pleading guilty, whereas having many prior convictions or being remanded increases the likelihood of the guilty plea. (Authors' abstract). Record #7380
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211055083
ER  -