APRI Highlights - Winter 2002

Violence Against Woman Program

Lisa Kreeger, Director and Senior Attorney

APRI’s Violence Against Women Program continues its commitment to assist prosecutors with innovative approaches and renewed dedication to eliminating violent crimes against women. Toward that end, program staff convened a leadership summit in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 11-13, 2001, attracting 34 elected officials and other high-ranking prosecutors specializing in those cases.

Two speakers addressed the central theme of the summit: The Prosecutor Is a Community Leader. Gael Strack, assistant city attorney from San Diego, California, and Scott Teter, prosecuting attorney from Cass County, Michigan, discussed different approaches and experiences developing multidisciplinary team assistance in investigation and prosecution of these crimes, developed with and without additional funding. Other critical topics addressed at the summit included the following:

• Ethical considerations pertinent to violent crimes against women cases: discovery, duties to report neglect, impeachment and victims’ right to counsel;
  
  
• Specific issues related to the prosecution of police, law enforcement officials or public figures who batter women, including media relations and continuing police relations; and
  
  
• Concerns regarding stress management and secondary trauma suffered by prosecutors and ways to improve agency or office response.

While reaching out to elected and managerial prosecutors is important, providing training and tools to front line prosecutors of these cases is critical. Consequently, over the next year, APRI’s Violence Against Women Program will be developing and facilitating courses in Cultural and Immigration Issues in Domestic Violence, Stalking and Cyberstalking, Rural Domestic Violence Prosecution and Basic Domestic Violence Prosecution. In addition, the program will offer four courses on Understanding Sexual Assault.

For more information about APRI's Violence Against Women Program, please contact vawa@ndaa-apri.org.