ISSUES IN STATUTORY RAPE LAW-ENFORCEMENT - THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS IN KANSAS

Context: The 1996 federal welfare reform law calls for the reduction o f adolescent pregnancy rates through aggressive enforcement of statuto ry rape laws at the local and state level. Yet there are few quantitat ive data on district attorneys' attitudes toward enforcement and relat ed issues. Methods: Anonymous surveys were mailed to all 105 Kansas di strict attorneys in 1997; 92 surveys were returned In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with seven of the attorneys. Results: Most o f the respondents (74%) favored aggressive enforcement, but just 37% b elieved the public would support aggressive enforcement. Only 24% beli eved enforcement would reduce adolescent pregnancy. Fifty-seven percen t supported the current legal age of consent in Kansas (16 years). Fif ty-three percent thought the law should not specify age differences be tween the partners. Most (77%) believed the law should protect sexuall y active miners, and that paternity acknowledgments should be admissib le evidence in prosecutions (78%). Only 17% believed that enforcement would discourage adolescents from seeking health care. Conclusions: Th e potential impact of statutory rape prosecution on reproductive and p sychological health should be considered in each case. Educating law e nforcement officials about adolescent health care issues and encouragi ng them to consult with professionals in health and psychological fiel ds may help to minimize the potentially negative effects of enforcemen t on adolescents' reproductive health.