Criminal Justice and Community Response to Rape

• NCJ Number: 148064
• Date Published: 1994
• Author(s): J Epstein; S Langenbahn
• Length: 153 pages
• Grant Number(s): OJP-89-C-009
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description

Annotation

Based on the approaches of four communities and on a literature review, this report describes organizational and procedural changes that have helped law enforcement and victim service organizations maintain an effective stance against rape.

Abstract

The four organizations primarily involved with rape victims are rape crisis centers, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, and hospitals. Lessons learned from this report show that rape victims are best served when the four groups work cooperatively. Formal networks of these agencies aid rape prevention, rape prosecution, and rape victim protection. Related programs and services adopted in some jurisdictions are the use of victim/witness advocates in prosecutors' offices and police agencies, the use of sensitivity training in criminal justice organizations and hospitals, establishment of cross-training and mechanisms for interagency cooperation, and the sponsoring of outreach programs for minority women who have been raped. Procedural changes that facilitate rape investigations and rape victim services include DNA typing to confirm the identity of a suspected offender, the use of third-party (notably rape crisis centers) rape reporting, and the protection of rape victims' privacy. Because of the high rape rate, many communities have mounted civic education programs that focus on youth. Effective programs typically use community members, teach risk awareness and self-protection, and challenge cultural values that promote or condone sexual violence. The concluding chapter suggests issues for future research in this area. 7 tables and appended prevention and educational materials, materials for hospitals treating rape victims, and a list of national victim advocacy organizations