Previously Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits: Characteristics of Kits with Victims under Eighteen

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Heather C. Melton ◽  
◽  
Summer Stewart ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Juvenile Delinquency ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Child Victims ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Sexual Assaults ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Police Report ◽  
Adolescent Victims

1 ADD TO CART Sexual assault continues to be a major societal and criminal issue. Particularly detrimental is sexual assault committed against children. Children who experience a sexual assault are likely to suffer from multiple negative outcomes including increasing their risk for juvenile delinquency and mental health issues. A sexual assault kit is one tool that the criminal justice system uses to bring justice for victims and hold offenders accountable for their behaviour. It provides often vital evidence that can potentially be used in the prosecution of these cases. Yet it has become clear that many sexual assaults are never submitted to crime laboratories for processing. This paper explores previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits of child/adolescent victims. Characteristics of the victims, the case, and the police report are explored. Additionally, these kits are compared to kits with an adult victim to further our understanding of the problem. Findings include: over 20% of the unsubmitted sexual assault kits had a victim under 18, the highest number of unsubmitted kits for children were for victims between the ages of 15-17, the majority of child victims knew their offenders, and cases associated with child kits were more likely to be moved forward at the time of the original incident (without the kit being submitted) than adult cases. Ultimately, the goal is to improve our overall response to all victims of sexual assault.

scholarly journals Mental Health and the Juvenile Justice System: Issues Related to Treatment and Rehabilitation

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Katrina A. Hovey ◽  
Staci M. Zolkoski ◽  
Lyndal M. Bullock
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Health Disorders

Children and youth with mental health issues and learning difficulties are common in the juvenile justice system andfinding ways to effectively rehabilitate, treat, and educate them is complicated, yet imperative. In this article, weexamine the prevalence rates of mental health disorders in youth involved in the juvenile justice system, discuss themyriad challenges involved youth face, present differences related to gender and race/ethnicity as well as provideinformation associated with how best to assist these youths. Additionally, significant influences such as cultural,behavioral, and educational issues related to detained youth will be presented. Developing a better understanding ofthe challenges faced by detainees as well as recognizing barriers to treatment and rehabilitation are key. Further,identifying effective support systems for rehabilitation and transition are addressed.

scholarly journals The Consequences of Child Sexual Assault

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arif Rohman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Child Victims ◽  
Sexual Assaults ◽  
Child Sexual Assault ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Patriarchal Culture

<p><i>The understanding of the origin and nature of child sexual assault and its</i><i> </i><i>consequences is urgent. It benefits to child victims and helping institutions</i><i> </i><i>and the professionals who working in it. This </i><i>article</i><i> shows that child sexual</i><i> </i><i>assault basically was the product of patriarchal culture and sexist society</i><i> </i><i>which tend to marginalise the women and children’s position, by creating</i><i> </i><i>some myths to legitimise male sexual violence. The occurrence of child</i><i> </i><i>sexual assaults has many consequences on children including physical and</i><i> </i><i>mental health. Another consequence is they may have to involve</i><i> </i><i>themselves in a prosecution process. Therefore, it is very important to</i><i> </i><i>understand the victim’s problem. Understanding and giving sympathy to</i><i> </i><i>them during the making of reports to the police, during recovery from</i><i> </i><i>physical injuries and trauma, and during a prosecution process can help</i><i> </i><i>them to reach integration level and stability. The good coordination and</i><i> </i><i>collaboration between agencies and professionals can lead to the friendly</i><i> </i><i>services to the victims. Furthermore, children will not alone facing their</i><i> </i><i>problem during the recovery.</i><i></i></p>

scholarly journals ‘Blocked at every level’: criminal justice system professionals’ experiences of including people with intellectual disabilities within a targeted magistrates’ court

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-144
Author(s):  
Darren David Chadwick ◽  
Caroline Wesson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

Purpose Mental health courts (MHCs) may enable better support for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) within the criminal justice system (CJS) but little evaluative empirical evidence is available regarding their operation. The purpose of this paper is to explore professional perceptions of the challenges of including people with ID in a targeted services court (TSC) designed for people with mental health issues and ID. Design/methodology/approach Information was gathered, via interviews and focus groups, from 46 professionals working with people with mental health issues and ID within the TSC. Data were analysed by using thematic network analysis. Findings Findings highlight the neglect and lack of inclusion of people with ID within the TSC processes, with challenges in identifying people with ID, stakeholder awareness, inconsistent adapting of practices for people with ID and information transfer underpinned by the involvement of numerous organisations with differing agendas. Research limitations/implications Although valued, development of a TSC, including people with ID, was a challenging endeavour and may reflect societal and institutional neglect of people with ID, recommendations are provided. Originality/value This study adds to the few investigations that have considered the process of including people with ID in a TSC from the perspective of those working in the CJS.

What Characterizes Vulnerability? Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Service Provision for Survivors of Sexual Assault

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110063
Author(s):  
Maria Hardeberg Bach ◽  
Nina Beck Hansen ◽  
Maj Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Legal Outcomes ◽  
Trauma Informed

Although research indicates that specialized sexual assault (SA) services are effective in terms of promoting postassault recovery and improving legal outcomes, little is known about how to best support survivors facing co-occurring difficulties and inequalities (e.g., preexisting mental health issues, substance abuse, poverty). This deficiency in knowledge was also expressed by service providers at Danish SA centers (SACs), who described this using the term “vulnerable survivors.” Therefore, the present study aims to address this knowledge gap by exploring (a) how service providers understand vulnerability in the context of SA and (b) how service provision is currently approached for these survivors. Interviews were conducted with 18 service providers representing five professional groups (psychologists, social workers, forensic doctors, nurses, police) and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. A total of eight themes emerged from the analysis, including service providers’ descriptions of what characterizes vulnerability in survivors and broader perspectives on service provision for these survivors. Survivors considered least likely to attain desired supports were also those perceived to be most vulnerable with regards to risk and experiences surrounding sexual victimization (e.g., individuals with preexisting mental health issues). Service providers also believed that a large proportion of those served experience ongoing vulnerabilities that are difficult to manage within existing support models. The results thus suggest that survivors’ needs cannot be met if vulnerabilities are overlooked or ignored. At the same time, the concept of vulnerability warrants caution since vulnerabilities are often placed within individual survivors, but the formal support system also appears vulnerable in its ability to meet the diverse needs and priorities of those served. The implications for SA services across the globe are discussed, including a need for more individually tailored and trauma-informed responses to SA that simultaneously address co-occurring difficulties and inequalities in survivors.

scholarly journals Associations Between Unintended Pregnancy, Domestic Violence, and Sexual Assault in a population of Queensland Women

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Sharman ◽  
Heather Douglas ◽  
Elizabeth Price ◽  
Nicola Sheeran ◽  
Genevieve Dingle
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Sociodemographic Variables ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
First Contact

This study aimed to establish the proportion of women seeking information regarding unintended pregnancy in the context of domestic violence (DV) and/or sexual assault (SA) experiences in Queensland. Mental health, sociodemographic variables, and gestation at first and repeated contacts were examined for 6249 women primarily seeking information regarding abortion options during an unintended pregnancy over the five-year period from July 2012 to June 2017. Reports of DV and SA and associations with mental health issues increased significantly across the five years. First contact rates of disclosure were 12.2% for DV and 3% for SA, and higher among repeat contacts (38.1% for DV and 14.1% for SA), with recurring contact facilitating violence disclosure. Restricting access to abortions in the context of violence impedes a woman’s agency in attempts to separate from violence and highlights the need for safe, supportive, and accessible services, to assist in screening and assisting with violence.

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