Low Prosecution Rates in Sexual Assault Cases: Can We Make Sustainable Improvements?

This webinar by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence will begin with contextual information about prosecution case outcomes in sexual assault cases of adult victims. The challenges in tracking the criminal case outcomes will be discussed. Dr. Valentine will introduce the National Institute of Justice Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Practitioner Toolkit as a means of tracking sexual assault criminal case outcomes in communities with sexual assault nurse examiner programs. She will provide research findings on implementing the Toolkit in two counties in Utah, a Mountain West state in the United States, and evaluate victim and assault variables associated with and predictive of case prosecution.

Participants will be invited to consider societal, structural, and legislative barriers faced in their jurisdictions in improving criminal case outcomes. Recommendations to improve prosecution rates and create safer and healthier societies include supporting multidisciplinary community response, increasing victim support services, implementing criminal justice system trainings on trauma-informed approaches and policies, and examining state statutes defining felony sexual assault charges. 

Detailed Learning Objectives

1. Attendees will be able to verbalize understanding of the challenges faced in tracking sexual assault case processing.
2. Attendees will understand the National Institute of Justice Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Practitioner Evaluation Toolkit.
3. Attendees will be able to analyze factors affecting prosecution rates in adult sexual assault cases and discuss how to improve sexual assault case processing in their jurisdictions.

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