SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATOR AND SAPR VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAMS

325 Pages·2014·5.09 MB·English

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS 11
I. Recommendations 1 – 12: Measuring the Scope of Sexual Assault
in the Military and Civilian Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
II. Recommendations 13 – 43: Assessing the Role of the Commander:
Commander Responsibility and Accountability, Sexual Assault Prevention,
and the Commander as Convening Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
III. Recommendations 44 – 79: Strengthening the Special Victim Counsel
Program, Victim Rights, Support, and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
IV. Recommendations 80 – 87: Ensuring Fairness and Due
Process to Those Suspected or Accused of Sexual Assault. . . . . . . . . . . . 37
V. Recommendations 88 – 125: Improving Military Justice Procedures . . . . .40
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF PANEL ASSESSMENT 55
A. Response Systems Panel Statutory Charter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
B. Methodology Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
C. Recent and Ongoing Legislative and Policy Initiatives Directed at
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
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REPORT OF THE RESPONSE SYSTEMS TO ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CRIMES PANEL
CHAPTER TWO: ASSESSING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY –
DEFINING THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM 59
A. Barriers to Reporting Sexual Violence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
B. Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and
Response Policy Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
C. Reporting Methods and Data and Sexual Violence Offenses
Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
D. Sexual Assault Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
CHAPTER THREE: COMMANDER AND CONVENING AUTHORITY CONCEPTS
AND OVERVIEW OF MILITARY JUSTICE RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT 73
A. Commanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
B. Convening Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
C. Commander and Convening Authority Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
D. Overview of the Military Justice Response to Sexual Assault Crimes . . . . . 75
E. Convening Authority Decisions to Refer Sexual Assaults to Courts-Martial . 76
CHAPTER FOUR: SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION IN THE MILITARY 81
A. Prevention Strategies, Initiatives, and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
B. Training of Personnel in Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. . . . . . . 86
CHAPTER FIVE: COMMAND ACCOUNTABILITY IN SEXUAL ASSAULT
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE 89
A. Accountability for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response . . . . . . . . . .89
B. Command Climate Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
CHAPTER SIX: SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTING, VICTIM SERVICES, AND RESOURCES 97
A. Personnel and Programs Engaged in Sexual Assault Response. . . . . . . . . 97
B. Overview of Victim Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
C. Reporting Sexual Assaults in the Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
D. Special Victim Counsel Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
E. Additional Victim Services in the Military and Civilian Communities . . . 106
F. Specialized Military Training for Personnel Performing Sexual Assault
Prevention and Response Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
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G. The Multidisciplinary Response to Investigate and
Prosecute Sexual Assault Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
CHAPTER SEVEN: INVESTIGATING SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTS 117
A. Investigation Mandates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
B. Investigative Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
C. Decisions to Unfound Sexual Assault Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
CHAPTER EIGHT: THE MILITARY JUSTICE PROCESS FOR SEXUAL
ASSAULT REPORTS AND VICTIM RIGHTS 125
A. Historical Evolution of the Uniform Code of Military Justice . . . . . . . . . 125
B. Initial Disposition Authority in Sexual Assault Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
C. Pretrial Responsibilities of the Convening Authorities: Preferral to Referral. 128
D. Role of the Convening Authorities and Military Judges . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
E. Pretrial Agreements in Sexual Assault Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
F. Victim Rights in Sexual Assault Prosecutions under
the Uniform Code of Military Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
G. Sentencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
H. Post-Trial and Clemency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
CHAPTER NINE: ORGANIZING, TRAINING, AND RESOURCING INVESTIGATORS,
PROSECUTORS, AND DEFENSE COUNSEL 147
A. Organizing Prosecution Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
B. Defense Counsel Organization and Resource Requirements. . . . . . . . . . 152
C. Training Investigators, Prosecutors, and Defense Counsel . . . . . . . . . . . 153
D. Resourcing and Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
CHAPTER TEN: ASSESSING MILITARY AND CIVILIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM STRUCTURE
AND PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE CHANGES 167
A. Military Justice System Structure: Effects on Sexual Assault
Reporting and Adjudication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
B. Assessment of Proposed Legislative Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
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REPORT OF THE RESPONSE SYSTEMS TO ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CRIMES PANEL
CHAPTER ELEVEN: ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF PANEL MEMBERS 173
A. Separate Statement of Dean Elizabeth L. Hillman & Mr. Harvey Bryant. . . 173
B. Additional Statement by The Honorable Elizabeth Holtzman,
Dean Elizabeth L. Hillman, & Ms. Mai Fernandez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
ENDNOTES TO CHAPTERS 1-10 179
APPENDIX A – LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING THE PANEL AND CHARTER 223
APPENDIX B – PANEL MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES 235
APPENDIX C – SUBCOMMITTEES AND STAFF LIST 239
APPENDIX D – PANEL METHODOLOGY 241
APPENDIX E – PANEL AND SUBCOMMITTEE SESSIONS AND PRESENTERS 245
APPENDIX F – SOURCES CONSULTED 265
APPENDIX G – SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION PASSED IN NATIONAL
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2004 – 2014 283
APPENDIX H – COMPARISON OF CRIME VICTIM RIGHTS UNDER FEDERAL LAW,
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY, AND RECENTLY ENACTED CHANGES TO
THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE 293
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APPENDIX I – SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATOR AND
SAPR VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAMS 297
APPENDIX J – SPECIAL VICTIM COUNSEL PROGRAMS
STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION 299
APPENDIX K – SPECIAL VICTIM COUNSEL PROGRAMS
VICTIM SERVICES COMPARISON 301
APPENDIX L – GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS 303
ANNEX TO THE REPORT:
Annex A: Report of the Comparative Systems Subcommittee
Annex B: Report of the Role of the Commander Subcommittee
Annex C: Report of the Victim Services Subcommittee
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