EVAW: Investigating Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence,
Lawrenceville, Georgia

September 4, 2003

 
Domestic Violence Intervention: State of the Art-Best Practices
Lecture/PowerPoint/Video

• National trends making a difference: criminal justice and safer cities
• DUI’s and Domestic Violence
• Big Picture (effects on children)
• Myths vs. Facts…the Big Four

Break

• Batterer behavior (M.O.’s)
• Lethality/risk assessment

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the current strategies used in jurisdictions to intervene appropriately in domestic violence criminal incidents.
• Understand the breadth and severity of domestic violence and it’s correlation with other crimes and anti social problems.
• Recognize batterer’s manipulative tactics.
• Understand the lethal risks to the victim and the children.
   

• Stranger vs. non-stranger sexual assault
• An overview of sexual assault crimes
• Investigating difficult cases
• Mentally ill, runaways, substance abusers, prostitutes
• Drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the unique challenges officers and detectives face when investigating crimes of sexual assault
• Recognize the importance of cultural myths and misconceptions regarding sexual assault
• Recognize realistic characteristics of sexual assault and highlight the contrast with cultural stereotypes of “real rape”
• Demonstrate an understanding of proper law enforcement responses to crimes of sexual violence

• Understand how by overcoming challenges to the victim’s credibility and corroborating every possible aspect of her story, police can make the case “prosecutable” and at the same time facilitate rapport and cooperation
• Recognize inappropriate police responses and potential barriers to effective victim interviews
• Determine an appropriate interview location and who should be present
• Prepare for a successful victim interview
• Identify ways to build trust and cooperation with the victim
• Conduct an effective preliminary interview with a victim of sexual assault by
• Using techniques to encourage the victim to tell her story in an uninterrupted narrative
• Understanding the use of cognitive interviewing techniques
• Effectively using follow-up questions to elicit additional information
• Learning procedures for concluding the interview

September 5, 2003

 
The Impact of DNA on the Forensic Exam and the Law Enforcement Investigation

• The Forensic Examination

• Suspect Exams

At the completion of this module, participants will be able to:

• Understand the use of DNA in crimes of sexual assault

• Identify local, state and national DNA databases

• Recognize various barriers to realizing the potential of DNA evidence, and ways of overcoming these barriers

• Properly assess all aspects of evidence that might be found in a sexual assault

• Understand the impact specific evidence may have on the disposition of an investigation

• Understand the differences in evidence needed to corroborate sexual assaults involving consent defenses and those where the assailant’s identity is in question

• Understand the unique challenges officers and detectives face when investigating crimes of sexual assault

Break

• Evidence Assessment
• Interpretation of findings
• Investigative Impact
• Forensic Exercise Worksheet
• Sexual Assault Evidence Assessment Tip Sheet
• Preliminary Rape Case Information Form
• Forensic Sciences - Lab Service Requests
• Clothing Documentation Form

• Victims? Facts vs. Myths
• Sophistication of batterers which includes the latest strangulation investigative techniques
• Interviews-Deliverance

• Probable cause
• Mutual combat, mutual violence or self-defense?
• Documentation for the “air tight” case
• Law enforcement liability
• Federal laws that impact DV cases
• Leaving victims hope: “The Children Are Watching”