Maine sexual assault kit study
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Date
12/1/2018
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Publisher
Maine Statistical Analysis Center, University of Southern Maine
Abstract
This report was one of the winners of the 2019 Douglas Yearwood National Publication Award in Research/Policy Analysis. In 2018, with funding from the Maine Department of Public Safety, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) contracted with the Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the Muskie School of Public Service to gather compressive data about sexual assault kits in Maine and to make recommendations for systems improvement. The Cutler research team employed a mixed-methods approach to gather comprehensive data about the current status of SAKs in Maine; the challenges and successes of processing and storing SAKs in Maine; and nationally recognized best practices that Maine may already follow or might adapt. Researchers conducted online surveys of law enforcement agencies, hospitals, Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs), and prosecutors. The research team also conducted four focus groups with sexual assault support center advocates, law enforcement officers, and SAFEs, and interviewed key stakeholders in Maine. The research team also conducted a comprehensive literature review and selected three states for additional interviews. The research confirms that Maine has achieved key successes in the management of sexual assault kits, specifically, the provision of victim-centered, trauma-informed care, in addition to standardized, accredited practices, and dedicated resources at the Crime Lab.
Description
This report was one of the winners of the 2019 Douglas Yearwood National Publication Award in Research/Policy Analysis. In 2018, with funding from the Maine Department of Public Safety, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) contracted with the Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the Muskie School of Public Service to gather compressive data about sexual assault kits in Maine and to make recommendations for systems improvement. The Cutler research team employed a mixed-methods approach to gather comprehensive data about the current status of SAKs in Maine; the challenges and successes of processing and storing SAKs in Maine; and nationally recognized best practices that Maine may already follow or might adapt. Researchers conducted online surveys of law enforcement agencies, hospitals, Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs), and prosecutors. The research team also conducted four focus groups with sexual assault support center advocates, law enforcement officers, and SAFEs, and interviewed key stakeholders in Maine. The research team also conducted a comprehensive literature review and selected three states for additional interviews. The research confirms that Maine has achieved key successes in the management of sexual assault kits, specifically, the provision of victim-centered, trauma-informed care, in addition to standardized, accredited practices, and dedicated resources at the Crime Lab.
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Keywords
Douglas Yearwood Award Winner, Police, Decision Making, DNA Collection, Evidence Collection