An Evaluation of OVW’s Sexual Assault Justice Initiative: Improving Prosecutor Performance Measures

• In Event: Measuring Effectiveness of New Criminal Justice Initiatives: Methodological Innovations in Research from the RAND Corporation

Abstract

In 2016, the Office on Violence Against Women selected seven sites to implement a pilot program that addresses the measures that prosecutors use to assess performance on sexual assault cases. The initiative aims to identify and implement new prosecutor performance measures for sexual assault cases that push definitions of success beyond conviction rates. SAJI also places more emphasis on victim experiences with the criminal justice system, expecting prosecutors to consider victim perceptions in developing and using alternate performance measures. The RAND Corporation is conducting a process and outcome evaluation of the effort. This presentation will present and discuss the new prosecutor performance measures developed in each site and the process for developing those measures. We will also highlight successes and barriers that each site encountered in the pilot program’s first year. Finally, the presentation will present RAND’s evaluation design and planned efforts to assess the utility of the initiative and how SAJI may be implemented in other jurisdictions. Of particular importance are our efforts to include the perspective of victims, bringing to light their experiences during a case. Ultimately, RAND’s evaluation will highlight which performance measures are best suited to defining success from the perspective of both prosecutors and victims.

Authors

• Nelson Lim, University of Pennsylvania

• Meagan Cahill, RAND Corporation

• Sarah Greathouse, RAND Corporation