NCJ Number
102330
Date Published
Unknown
Length
35 pages
Annotation
Current criminal procedures relating to the investigation of complaints of rape and sexual assault in England and Wales are biased against and brutal toward the victims of the crime; the procedures are also inefficient.
Abstract
Reforms must change the basic police attitudes and behavior toward women in general and raped women in particular. They must also change the professional methods of investigation. The metropolitan area needs a centralized rape squad. Police should treat raped women sensitively and nonjudgmentally and should explain police and legal procedures clearly. The victim should receive a thorough forensic medical examination at a hospital after providing a police officer basic initial information necessary for the investigation. She should make a detailed statement only after receiving any necessary medical treatment and being allowed to rest at home for several hours. The victim should receive a copy of her statement. A friend, social worker, or rape counselor should accompany and help the victim during each stage of the legal process. Police should contact the victim often and keep her informed. Examples of problems in current procedures and 17 reference notes.