The Spanish model of private prosecution: identifying risks and opportunities through empirical research on sex crimes

Abstract

The Spanish criminal justice system encompasses a distinctive model of private prosecution, affording crime victims the opportunity to participate in the judicial process in a different way to other legal systems. While this grants victims certain advantages, it also carries inherent risks, as underscored by legal scholars. The ongoing debate about the advantages and disadvantages of the current configuration of public prosecution in Spain is of significant comparative and international interest. Our contribution to this debate lies in the incorporation of empirical research findings based on data collected from judicial judgments.