Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Recent changes at First Appearance Court ensure that Assistant State’s Attorneys (ASAs) are equipped with appropriate knowledge and experience to protect victims. Changes include:
- Addition of a supervisor and two investigators at the Domestic Violence Courthouse. Increased staffing at this critical juncture ensures prosecutors present as thorough a picture as possible of the offender’s risk to the victim, witnesses, and the public when petitioning a judge for detention or a protection order.
- ASAs receive specialized training on the cycle of violence, its impact on families and available support services for victims and witnesses.
- Requiring ASAs to gain sufficient trial and criminal procedure experience before transferring to SVB, where cases require added skills to navigate delicate interpersonal dynamics
- As a matter of policy, prosecutors seek detention for domestic violence-related batteries and other violent felony offenses.
Victim Resources
CCSAO’s trained victim specialists provide victims with support, information, and direct referrals to community-based services that work with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Victim specialists explain every step in the criminal justice process, keep victims updated on the trajectory of their cases, respond to questions as they arise, and can accompany victims during court proceedings.