DWC NIJ VAWA Panel : Findings from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) & Sexual Assault Justice Initiative (SAJI) Evaluations

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

This is a Division on Woman & Crime and National Institute of Justice co-sponsored panel on violence against women. Sexual assault is devastating for the victims especially when the cases languish and go unsolved. NIJ has two large scale initiatives aimed at addressing these issues. The first is the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). The Initiative is a program funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which helps law enforcement inventory submitted sexual assault kits (SAK), test these kits, and assign designated personnel to pursue new investigative leads and prosecutions. The purpose of the NIJ evaluation was to assess components of the BJA SAKI to prepare for a subsequent comprehensive evaluation. The findings from those evaluations will be the first two presentations. The Second Initiative is the Sexual Assault Justice Initiative (SAJI) which is a partnership between OVW and NIJ aimed at supporting the use of effective prosecution strategies and better ways of measuring success in historically challenging cases. Rand Corporation conducted an assessment of the SAJI Initiative. The last two presentations will present findings from those assessments. Finally, a discussant will discuss how these two initiatives have the potential to impact the criminal justice field.

Sub Unit

• Area X. Methodology / 71. Advances in Evaluation Research

Individual Presentations

• DWC NIJ VAWA Panel : Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Process Evaluation Findings - Suzanne Kaasa, Westat

• DWC NIJ VAWA Panel: Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Impact Assessment Findings - Jessica Taylor, Westat

• DWC NIJ VAWA Panel: The Development of OVW’s Sexual Assault Justice Initiative (SAJI) and Evaluation - Meagan Cahill, RAND Corporation; Shamena Anwar, RAND Corporation; Nelson Lim, RAND Corporation

• DWC NIJ VAWA Panel: Findings from the Process Evaluation of OVW’s Sexual Assault Justice Initiative (SAJI) - Shamena Anwar, RAND Corporation; Meagan Cahill, RAND Corporation; Samuel Peterson, RAND Corporation

Chair

• Nadine Frederique, National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, DOJ