Citation

Gumpert CH, Lindblad F, Johansson A. Child Maltreat. 1999; 4(4): 343-352.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077559599004004007

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigated the participation of expert witnesses (psychological, psychiatric, and medical) in criminal cases regarding allegations of child sexual abuse in Sweden. All criminal cases (n = 648) from 1985, 1989, and 1992 were reviewed with regard to the participation of expert witnesses, their professional backgrounds, and conclusions. Logistic regression models were applied to the data to explore factors associated with expert witness participation, and factors associated with a conviction against the defendant's denial, respectively. The majority of psychological experts supported the abuse allegations. The use of expert witnesses for psychological issues decreased (25%, 25%, and 15% of the cases each year). The results provide a descriptive platform for psycholegal practices in child sexual abuse cases in Sweden.

Language: en