In July 2020, RTI International released the report “Enacting an Improved Response to Sexual Assault: A Criminal Justice Practitioner’s Guide” by Patricia A. Melton. Outlining various studies, Melton writes that improving criminal justice agencies’ responses to sexual assault strengthens community safety and builds better relationships between community members and criminal justice agencies. Melton notes that pursuing sexual assault cases can be difficult for various reasons, some of which include lack of evidence and eyewitness accounts. However, agencies can improve their response by having a strategic sustainable approach to addressing sexual assault cases. RTI defines an “improved response” as “an approach that supports effective investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases, holds perpetrators accountable, and promotes healing and recovery for victims of sexual assault.”
View the report to learn how to develop an effective approach to sexual assault cases.