Elected Texas District And County Attorneys' Perceptions Of Crime Victim Involvement In Criminal Prosecutions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to test the utility of Stickels' Victim Satisfaction Model of the criminal justice system by quantitatively assessing elected district and county attorneys' perceptions of victims' involvement in the charging and plea bargaining stages of the criminal process. In addition, this study will compare Republican and Democratic prosecutors' perceptions of victim involvement in criminal prosecutions. A cross-sectional research design will be used in this study. Self-administered questionnaires will be mailed to every elected district and county attorney in Texas. The results of this study will further our understanding of prosecutorial decision making and have important implications for the American criminal justice system.