Introducing Criminal Justice in Action’s first season, Rape on Trial, where we examine how rape and serious sexual offences are investigated and prosecuted in England and Wales: a probing, comprehensive, and, crucially, evidence-based look at how the criminal process works in these cases in practice, when it doesn't, and why it matters.

Whether you're a student of law, criminology, social sciences, criminal justice, psychology, gender studies or similar, undertaking policing studies or the Bar Practice Course, if you're a criminal justice practitioner or policy maker, or simply someone who is curious to gain a real-world understanding of how the criminal process deals with rape and sexual assault cases in practice, rather than in theory, Rape on Trial is for you.

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The broader research underpinning this season of Criminal Justice in Action is reported in our book, Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025). The book examines cross-examination across the UK and Ireland drawing on trial observations, practitioner interviews, and a linguistic analysis of courtroom exchanges in light of recent reforms.

https://amzn.to/49oVqG2

This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.

Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season One: Rape on Trial

This is the first of two introductory episodes taking us straight to the heart of this season's topic; the investigation and prosecution of rape and serious sexual offences in the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

We're in court for the trial of Tariq who is charged with rape and false imprisonment. It's a case that, according to the mainstream narrative, has little chance of resulting in convictions: one person's word against another's; no forensic evidence; no injuries; delayed report; young, black complainant; a defendant claiming consent and that the allegation was prompted by regret and embarrassment on the complainant's part.

Join me, Dr Candida Saunders, in the public gallery of a Crown Court somewhere in England & Wales to watch real proceedings in a real rape trial. Let's see for ourselves what really happens.

**Listener discretion is advised**

The broader research underpinning this season of Criminal Justice in Action is reported in our book, Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025). The book examines cross-examination across the UK and Ireland drawing on trial observations, practitioner interviews, and a linguistic analysis of courtroom exchanges in light of recent reforms.

https://amzn.to/49oVqG2

This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.

Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season one: Rape on Trial continues with the second of our two-part season opening.

We're back in the public gallery of Crown Court for the final days of Tariq's trial for rape and false imprisonment in a case the conventional wisdom tells us shouldn't result in conviction: one person's word against another's; no forensic evidence; delayed report; young, black complainant; and a defendant claiming consent and an allegation motivated by shame and regret.

Will the jury's deliberations and assessment of the evidence be biased by rape myths and gender stereotypes? Or will the evidence satisfy jurors of Tariq's guilt?

**Listener discretion is advised**

The broader research underpinning this season of Criminal Justice in Action is reported in our book, Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025). The book examines cross-examination across the UK and Ireland drawing on trial observations, practitioner interviews, and a linguistic analysis of courtroom exchanges in light of recent reforms.

https://amzn.to/49oVqG2

This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.

Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.