NCJ Number
153974
Date Published
1995
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This document is designed to accompany the Model Policy on Investigating Sexual Assault established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police's National Law Enforcement Policy Center.
Abstract
The document presents essential background material and supporting documentation on the Model Policy's developmental philosophy and implementation requirements. The Model Policy uses the term sexual assault to refer particularly to the crime of rape and identifies three legal elements of rape when the female is over the age of consent: carnal knowledge (penetration), forcible submission, and lack of consent. In the absence of a statute requiring corroboration, the Model Policy notes that common law generally holds unsupported victim testimony, if not contradictory or incredible, sufficient to sustain a rape conviction. The Model Policy considers psychological reactions of rape victims in terms of issues related to the victim's self- concept and interview responses. Additionally, the Model Policy describes investigative procedures involved in sexual assault cases, especially the crime scene investigation, the medical examination, and the police interview. The Model Policy indicates that, although police officers should proceed on the assumption that a reported rape is bona fide, they should be aware of the possibility of a false accusation. 3 endnotes