January 2016
Domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and related crimes are not easy for law enforcement to identify, investigate, or prosecute. Nonetheless, they are pervasive issues in society, as evidenced in recent dialogue about professional athletes, the U.S. military, universities, and test backlogs. Law enforcement can benefit from a better understanding of what these crimes look like; who the victims are; and, perhaps most importantly, how to respond to those victims of trauma in a way that both meets their needs and allows for a successful case against the offender. Understanding the science of trauma and relevant risk factors can start law enforcement on the right path in responding to these crimes.
Articles
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Using Science to Increase Effectiveness of Sexual Assault Investigations
Multiple forces are converging to put increasing pressure on law enforcement to ramp up the effectiveness of sexual assault investigations. There is a growing awareness and concern about the scourge o... -
Providing Equal Justice to LGBTQ Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
Most law enforcement professionals know that intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault investigations can be the most challenging cases they will work during their careers. These cases often ... -
The Stalking and Harassment Assessment and Risk Profile (SHARP)
A police chief in a small town attended a workshop on stalking. After hearing about the research on all of the things victims endure while being stalked—fear of physical and sexual harm, fear of har... -
Using Science and Experience When Contacting Sexual Assault Victims
Any one of the law enforcement executives in the United States who is engaged in efforts to test large numbers of sexual assault kits is well aware of the challenges: figuring out how to get an accura... -
One County’s Efforts to Reduce Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities
Traffic safety approaches often center around risks to drivers—excessive speed, failure to wear seat belts, distractions, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol—but there is another group... -
Body-Worn Cameras: Using the Wealth of Data Effectively
It seems like every time one looks at the news these days, there are disturbing videos of community-police interactions. On every channel, pundits weigh in on the legality of these interactions and th... -
Sponsored Content—Webinar: Confessions of a Former Crime Analyst
If you were to spend a week or two watching crime dramas on TV, you’d probably get the impression that being a crime analyst is a pretty glamorous job. Only minutes after a crime has been reported, ... -
Gait, Footprints, and Footwear: How Forensic Podiatry Can Identify Criminals
Despite a thief donning two pairs of pants, a mask, and gloves when he robbed a jewelry store at gunpoint, he was unable to hide how he walked. Cameras in the store recorded the thief, and, by compari...
Columns
- President’s Message: Presidential Focus: Going Dark and the Challenges of Gathering Electronic Evidence
- Chief's Counsel: Conduct Unbecoming: Lessons from the Military
- Technology Talk: Restoring Refuge: Using Technology to Enhance the Security of Places of Worship
- Legislative Alert: IACP Advocacy’s Efforts to Address Going Dark and the Prevention of Terrorism
- Product Update: January 2016
- Products & Services: January 2016
- From the FirstNet President
- Highway Safety Initiatives: Pan/Parapan Am Games Traffic Planning and Execution
- Line of Duty Deaths: 11/7/2015-11/28/2015
- Officer Safety Corner: The IACP/DuPont Kevlar Survivors’ Club: A Year in Review with an Eye Toward the Future
- Research in Brief: Increasing Efficiency and Service: The Centralization of the Toronto Police Service