STOP TA Clinic 8/19/2024: U.S. Department of Justice Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence with Office on Violence Against Women Attorney, Fara Gold

View the Prosecutors resource here

An understanding of best practices for prosecution of sexual assault and domestic violence cases sets STOP Administrators up for success in many facets of their work: supporting STOP-funded prosecutors to meet the STOP prosecution certification, identifying effective training programs and other strategies to ensure implementation of practices that are victim-centered and trauma-informed, and engaging in meaningful monitoring of prosecution programs using appropriate practice guidelines.

To provide the field with state-of-the-art guidance on the prosecution of sexual assault and domestic violence offenses, the Office on Violence Against Women, in consultation with more than 120 prosecutors, advocates, academics, and other experts, has developed a resource, the “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.” The resource describes a set of principles that is intended to lead to “better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators.”

Attorney Fara Gold of OVW, who spearheaded the development of the prosecutor guide, will join us for the August STOP TA Clinic to describe the guide’s purpose and development, and to engage participants in a discussion about how STOP Administrators can incorporate an understanding of the guide’s five principles into their work with subgrantees and others in their states and territories to support improved prosecution practices in sexual assault and domestic violence cases.