Empirical studies of criminal justice decision making in cases of child sexual abuse have been rare. A sample of 43 cases of alleged sexual abuse in day care (involving 58 perpetrators) were analyzed to examine the proposition that cases fitting the popular stereotype of child molestation are more likely to elicit a formal response, whereas those at variance with the imagery require that aggravating conditions be present before formal actions are taken. Boolean analysis of the data point to the combined importance of race and sex of the victim, number of victims, type of sex act, and the sex of the alleged perpetrator in decisions to arrest and convict offenders. The overall pattern of decision making supports the argument regarding the operation of an offense stereotype in legal decision making.
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