Research project Equality before the law?
How a crime victim’s account is assessed can influence which questions are asked, what evidence is collected and how the case proceeds.
This project examines whether characteristics that may signal a victim’s ethnic background affect these assessments and what could reduce their influence. Such characteristics can shape impressions of a testimony without providing evidence about what happened.
The project is funded by Forte and runs from 2027 to 2029.
Full project title: Equality before the law? Ethnicity, credibility judgments, and fair treatment of victims of crime in legal proceedings
The project examines whether perceived ethnic background affects how crime victims’ accounts are assessed. We first ask legal actors what information they receive about victims at different stages of a criminal case, what is recorded and passed on, and when it might affect an assessment or decision. To test for discrimination, we compare judgments of the same account and evidence. We want to know whether characteristics that may signal ethnic background can themselves change how credible a victim seems or how much weight their account receives. The final study examines whether guidance can reduce that influence without diminishing the weight given to relevant evidence.
The findings can help legal actors identify where impressions of the person may influence an assessment. They can also inform training and guidance on how to weigh what a victim reports, what the available evidence supports and what remains uncertain.