Susan Leahy – författare

Rape trials are inherently complex, often operating differently to other criminal trials. These trials are also complicated by the impact of societal attitudes about sexual offences, often referred to as rape myths, which can influence jurors’ deliberations in rape trials. This book explores the variety of ways in which rape trials can be researched in order to determine how the laws in this area are applied in practice, and the extent to which attitudes and broader societal contexts can influence the trial process. Divided into three parts, Part I offers a guide on best practice in the various research methods which can be adopted to study rape trials. These include interviews with practitioners and victim-survivors; analysis of trial transcripts; trial observations; and jury research. Parts II and III provide a thematic overview of a variety of international case studies, demonstrating the rich insights which empirical research on rape trials can produce. All of the chapters are written by leading experts who have direct experience of conducting empirical research in this area. The book will be a valuable resource for a range of academics, practitioners, stakeholders and policy-makers researching and working in the area of sexual violence.

Concern for crime victims has been a growing political issue in improving the legitimacy and success of the criminal justice system through the rhetoric of rights. Since the 1970s there have been numerous reforms and policy documents produced to enhance victims’ satisfaction in the criminal justice system. The Republic of Ireland has seen a sea-change in more recent years from a focus on services for victims to a greater emphasis on procedural rights. The purpose of this book is to chart these reforms against the backdrop of wider political and regional changes emanating from the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights, and to critically examine whether the position of crime victims has actually ameliorated. The book discusses the historical and theoretical concern for crime victims in the criminal justice system, examins the variety of forms of legal and service provision inclusion, amd concludes by analysing the various needs of victims which continue to be unmet.