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The ABCs of BAC: Toxicology for Prosecutors and Investigators

Alcohol’s unique toxicological effects, widespread use, and ease of access render it the ideal substance to facilitate sexual assault. The same factors that make alcohol such a perfect weapon also present unique challenges for investigators, prosecutors, and other allied professionals in alcohol-facilitated sexual assault (AFSA) cases. An understanding of basic toxicology principles is critical for investigators and prosecutors handling these challenging cases from investigation through sentencing to be able to hold offenders accountable for their criminal behavior. This webinar explains the toxicology of alcohol, as well as drugs, in lay terms that will help you understand how alcohol affects the body. Topics include alcohol metabolism, the disproportionate effect of alcohol on women and men, the mechanism of intoxication, an explanation of blackouts vs. pass outs, and other common toxicological issues. It also explores common issues and challenges related to the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases where alcohol is present.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Williams v. Illinois and Forensic Evidence: The Bleeding Edge of Crawford

The application of Crawford principles in the context of forensic evidence continues to plague the criminal justice system. The United States Supreme Court’s decision in Williams v. Illinois raises more questions than it answers about when and how an expert may testify to conclusions based upon the opinions or work of other (non-testifying) experts or technicians. This webinar reviews the relevant case law, and explores how trial prosecutors can present a case involving forensic testing conducted by a multitude of technicians and experts. It also addresses Williams’s impact on cold cases, in which original experts who performed autopsies and other forensic examinations and testing are no longer available for trial. The presenter provides practical suggestions to trial prosecutors who must balance limited resources against the need to secure convictions that will withstand confrontation challenges on appeal.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Under the Radar: Prosecuting Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

The majority of sexual violence victims know their assailants, a fact that can greatly affect and complicate the reactions that victims experience during and after an assault. Intimate partner sexual violence usually co-occurs with other forms of physical and psychological violence and may indicate a greater lethality risk than with other victims of sexual violence. Criminal justice, advocacy, and health care professionals must consider these and other complexities as they seek to create a victim-centered response. This webinar describes the common dynamics, prevalence, perpetrators, and victims of intimate partner sexual assault, examines ways in which allied professionals may need to expand their practices to adequately and holistically care for these victims, and summarizes the legal issues relevant to the prosecution of intimate partner sexual violence.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Trial Strategies for the Prosecution of Sexual Abuse in Confinement

Trial strategies for sexual abuse in confinement cases require consistent and comprehensive approaches designed to keep the focus on offenders’ criminal behavior. Prosecutors need to work to overcome jury bias, contextualizing and explaining victim behavior, and developing a trial theme that recreates the reality of the crime and the unique venue in which it occurred. To achieve these goals, prosecutors must employ a victim-centered response, particularly when considering common victim behaviors encountered in sexual abuse cases, including delayed disclosure, minimization, recantation, and a hesitance or failure to participate in the investigation or prosecution of the offender. This webinar provides prosecutors with the tools they need to prosecute a case of sexual abuse in confinement by challenging participants to consider innovative strategies to overcome the barriers identified in various case-related scenarios. Participants should be better able to develop case-in-chief tactics, work with victims who recant or do not want to participate in the investigation or prosecution of their case, and combat common defenses.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Technical Evidence in Stalking Prosecutions: Where to Get It and How to Get It In

The use of personal computers, mobile devices, and other technology in stalking activity presents challenges for the prosecutor who must connect the activity to the defendant. Prosecutors must be familiar with the sources of available evidence, how to obtain it from technology providers, and how to present it effectively to a jury. This webinar covers the applicable rules of evidence and relevant case law associated with proving a technology-facilitated stalking case. The presentation provides strategies for introducing technical evidence and for responding to common objections at trial.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Stop Calling It ‘Revenge Porn’: Prosecuting Image Exploitation

Image exploitation involves the nonconsensual creation, possession, or distribution of an image or images depicting victims engaged in consensual sexual activity or being sexually assaulted. As technology continues to evolve more quickly than the law, image exploitation crimes are being addressed by a patchwork of criminal laws. We as prosecutors must continue to respond to this complex crime and to hold offenders accountable under imperfect or untested laws. This webinar explores the various forms of image exploitation and the types of statutes under which this abuse can be prosecuted, enabling prosecutors to choose the most advantageous charging strategies within their own jurisdictions. In addition, the presenter offers offender-trial strategies are offered to assist in overcoming common victim-blaming defenses.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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SPARC: Igniting the Conversation and Improving our Response to Stalking

With a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC) was formed, as a project of AEquitas, to provide allied professionals with the tools, resources, and support necessary to enhance their ability to identify stalking and to respond effectively. This webinar discusses how to access SPARC resources, raise community awareness, and coordinate with allied professionals to better identify and respond to victims of stalking and hold offenders accountable.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Sexual Abuse in Confinement – An Introduction for Prosecutors

Sexual abuse in confinement has persistently presented tremendous challenges to investigators and prosecutors because of internal and external barriers to reporting, including the behaviors, actions, and decision-making power of first responders that may result in the failure to make an official report to law enforcement. Additional challenges include issues related to evidence collection and retention, identification of witnesses, and multi-level biases against inmates. This webinar provides an overview of the Prison Rape Elimination Act and national standards related to a victim-centered, offender-focused investigation and prosecution of a sexual abuse in confinement. The presenter discusses victim behaviors and the dynamics inherent to a correctional setting. It also focuses on offender tactics, including grooming, isolation, threats, concealment or destruction of evidence, intimidation, the use of allies, and other coercive tactics.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Safeguarding Victim Privacy: A Plan of Action for Prosecutors

Prosecutors have an obligation to provide to the defense all evidence in the government’s possession or control that is material to a defendant’s guilt or punishment. How can we fulfill that obligation, while at the same time safeguarding victim privacy against unnecessary disclosure? Filing motions for protective orders and vigorously opposing defense demands for irrelevant private information is an important part of trial practice for any prosecutor responsible for these sensitive cases. This webinar identifies categories of confidential and/or privileged victim information and records, discusses threshold requirements for defense attempts to obtain such information or for in camera review of records, and suggests pretrial and trial strategies that support the protection of victim privacy, including collaboration with allied professionals to safeguard private information.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.

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Safeguarding Victim Privacy in a Digital World: Ethical Considerations for Prosecutors

Prosecutors have an obligation to provide to the defense all evidence in the government’s possession or control that is material to a defendant’s guilt or punishment. How can we fulfill that obligation, while at the same time safeguarding victim privacy against unnecessary disclosure? In the digital age, these cases present unique ethical challenges related to privacy and confidentiality, prosecutorial discretion, recantation, and disclosure of evidence. This presentation uses hypothetical case scenarios to: address ethical considerations in the context of the investigative function of prosecutors, digital evidence, discovery obligations, and immunity; identify confidential, privileged, non-material, and/or irrelevant victim information and records; discuss threshold requirements for defense attempts to obtain information or for in camera review; introduce pretrial and trial strategies that support the protection of victim privacy, including collaboration with allied professionals.

This webinar recording should qualify prosecutors for 1 hour of continuing legal education (CLE) credits. Prosecutors are encouraged to contact their state bar association in reference to application requirements and related fees.