created by ILikeNeurons on 21/01/2025 at 01:43 UTC
19 upvotes, 5 top-level comments (showing 5)
Comment by AutoModerator at 21/01/2025 at 01:43 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
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Comment by ILikeNeurons at 21/01/2025 at 01:54 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Austin, Texas, for example, has achieved just one conviction from its more than 4,000 tested kits despite receiving $2 million from the testing program Vance instituted and $3 million from the federal one, which also provides technical support for investigations, victim notifications and prosecutions.
City leaders have promised to do better and say they have applied for a third round of federal funding. Their conviction rate won’t disqualify them since the program doesn’t require convictions to continue receiving funding.
Cops need better training for testing kits to lead to convictions. **A high probability of apprehension by law enforcement is critical to deterrence**[1].
1: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.1086/670398.pdf
Briefly, the following are considered best practices by law enforcement[2]:
Approach the victim in a compassionate, empathetic way
3: https://sakitta.org/effective-practices/docs/Core-Standards-for-Sexual-Assault-Investigations.pdf
Ask them about sights, smells, and sounds to jog memories
If tough questions need to be asked, explain why
When done, explain the next steps
Screen all cases in person to make sure the investigations were thorough
4: https://www.endthebacklog.org/take-action/advocate-state/
Implementing best practices can double convictions[6].
6: https://wwww.startribune.com/one-state-found-a-better-way-to-investigate-rape/501636971/
Perhaps only places that require proper SA training for law enforcement (or have a parallel reporting system in place) should be eligible for funding.
Comment by horseradishstalker at 22/01/2025 at 18:59 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Governments are not much different from people (maybe because they are run by people). They pursue what they find important. Or easiest to prosecute - sexual assault often comes down to one person's word against anothers - unless the DNA from the rape kit is definitive. The prosecutor's office or the DA generally makes the decision on whether evidence is substantial enough to bring charges. Or cheapest to prosecute (it's much cheaper to have people plead guilty than to have trials for example).
And some people might add that in the past few days we have learned that laws are only for people who wish to follow them.
Bottom line: The law is only occasionally fair.
Comment by [deleted] at 21/01/2025 at 01:50 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[removed]
Comment by dragonfly310 at 25/01/2025 at 11:41 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It's a crying shame that crimes against women (well, women are the great majority of victims of sex assault/rape) aren't taken seriously. In my own state, we had to have a separate law to force law enforcement to investigate sex crimes and test rape kits in a timely manner. https://www.wlox.com/2023/04/20/new-law-will-set-timeline-processing-rape-kits/[1][2]
1: https://www.wlox.com/2023/04/20/new-law-will-set-timeline-processing-rape-kits/
2: https://www.wlox.com/2023/04/20/new-law-will-set-timeline-processing-rape-kits/