NCJ Number
168104
Date Published
1997
Length
70 pages
Annotation
This report describes current initiatives local prosecutors can follow to successfully prosecute, convict, and sentence stalkers; it also examines two innovative antistalking programs within an urban and a rural jurisdiction.
Abstract
Prosecutors, probation officers, law enforcement officers, judges, victim advocates, and other key criminal justice practitioners were interviewed at each site. The antistalking programs in Dover, New Hampshire, and Los Angeles show how law enforcement agencies and prosecutors collaborate to hold offenders accountable and improve victim safety. Recommendations provide practitioners with innovative ideas and solutions in the face of limited resources. A section on Federal law outlines the recent passage of the Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act of 1996 and the practical implications of using the act for line prosecutors. A section on "handling the stalking victim" discusses the unique needs of stalking victims and the prosecutor's role in successfully resolving these cases. Telephone survey results allow readers to compare their own experience with those of 28 other jurisdictions around the country. Chapter notes