Step-by-Step Practitioner Toolkit for Evaluating the Work of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Programs in the Criminal Justice System

• NCJ Number: 226499
• Author(s): Megan R. Greeson; Rebecca Campbell; Shannon K.E. Kobes
• Date Published: January 2009
• Length: 145 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-WG-BX-0003
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Technical Assistance; Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

Developed as part of a large research study on the work of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) in the criminal justice system, this Toolkit is designed to assist SANE program staff in evaluating how their program impacts the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of sexual assault cases in their community.

Abstract

The first section provides an overview of a SANE program evaluation. It includes sample evaluation questions for assessing the various domains of SANE's work. The second section provides an introduction to the many ways SANE programs create change in their communities, with an emphasis on the impact of SANEs on the processing of sexual assault cases through the criminal justice system. The third section provides a step-by-step explanation of a specific type of evaluation a SANE program can conduct. It involves an assessment of whether the program has impacted the progression of sexual assault cases through the criminal justice system in the particular community served by the SANE program. The concluding section illustrates how the evaluation discussed in the previous section can produce information for community action. If the evaluation finds that the SANE program has had a positive effect on sexual assault case progression through the criminal justice system, the remainder of the Toolkit helps the SANE staff to identify what they are doing well that has contributed to this positive impact and should be continued and improved. If the evaluation research does not find that the SANE program has had a positive impact on the criminal justice processing of sexual assault cases, then the Toolkit provides guidance on improvements that can be made to change the criminal justice system's response to sexual assault. The Toolkit does not require that users be trained in statistical analysis, and each section provides the basic information and skills required to conduct the evaluation and apply its findings to improve the response to sexual assaults and their victims. 15 tables, 43 references, and appended resources