The perception of elder sexual abuse in the courtroom.

This study explored mock juror perceptions of elder sexual mistreatment (eSM). In experiment 1, 118 participants read a fictional criminal trial summary of an eSM case in which a 76-year-old woman was allegedly abused by either her son or a neighbor. In experiment 2 (n = 360), the eSM occurred in either a nursing home or the elder's home and the alleged perpetrator was either her son or a nursing home worker. Conviction rates were relatively low in both experiments (25% and 33%, respectively). Women were more pro-prosecution than men in case judgments. Overall, the study provides evidence that mock jurors may question the credibility of elders in eSM cases.