TO: Elected Prosecuting Attorneys

TO:Elected Prosecuting Attorneys

FROM:John Shook, Grants Administration Supervisor

Mary Ruth Parker, Policy & Program Advisor

DATE:July 17, 1998

RE:STOP Violence Against Women Act - State Implementation Plan

______

The Violence Against Women Act challenges States to evaluate existing conditions for victims of adult sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence and to set goals for the future. Funding through the Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) Program is available to assist those at the local level to employ innovative techniques and strategies that will yield long-term and far-reaching improvements in the fields of prosecution, law enforcement and victim services.

Periodically, the state grant administrator is required to file an Implementation Plan with the Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Grants Office. This Plan is not only intended to demonstrate to the federal grantor that the State is following the requirements of the federal law to work for progress in this area, but also serves as a blueprint for the future.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Victim Justice and Assistance (VJA) Grants Office is in the process of preparing the State Implementation Plan for the 1998 fiscal year. In order to design an Implementation Plan that best reflects the needs of every corner of the State, we look to you to provide your expert and first-hand opinions and thoughts concerning the State’s approach to reduce and prevent violence against women.

Because the success of the STOP Violence Against Women Program depends on you, your input in the development of a statewide strategy is critical. Please take a few moments of your time to consider the existing response that cases of adult sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence receive in your jurisdiction and the tools that you will need to more effectively pursue prosecution of these crimes.

Enclosed is survey that asks specific questions. You may opt to respond to this call in another written format, such as a letter which addresses the questions asked within the survey. These documents will also be accepted. If you choose to delegate this activity to another individual in your office, we do ask that you, the elected prosecutor, indicate your support of the information provided by signing the document prior to filing it with the VJA Office.

Feedback is always welcomed; however, responses received by ______will be included in the report filed to the federal grantor.

We appreciate your time and consideration. Please feel free to call the VJA Office at (501) 682-5153 if you need additional information or clarification.

STOP

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

1998 STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

SURVEY

ORGANIZATION: ______

ELECTED PROSECUTOR:______

MAILING ADDRESS: ______

______

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ______

TELEPHONE: ______FAX: ______

PLEASE LIST THE COUNTIES WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION, THE POPULATION FOR EACH AND WHETHER THE AREA WOULD BEST BE DESCRIBED AS RURAL, URBAN OR SUBURBAN:

______

The STOP VAWA Program requires that twenty-five percent (25%) of the State’s grant award be reserved for prosecuting attorney’s offices for subgrant projects designed to enable improved identification and response to violent crimes against women (sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence). Your candid responses to the questions below will help the State determine the needs that exist and serve as a blueprint for the future.

Your input is valuable, both as a professional and as a citizen in your community. Some of the following questions are grouped by crime type. Please respond to any and all questions that you choose, and add any additional information that you believe should be taken into consideration.

1. ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT:

a. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your community’s ability to effectively assist and respond to victims of ADULT SEXUAL?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

b. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your community’s ability to more successfully assist ADULT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT and to identify, investigate and prosecute these crimes? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budgets do not allow for specialized units of advocates/police/prosecutors to focus on these crime victims

______Training is needed for advocates

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Training is needed for law enforcement officials

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Prosecutors do not aggressively pursue these cases in court

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing or too fearful to report and follow through

____________

c. Does your area have a rape crisis center, or another program that meets sexual assault victims at the hospital to offer support and services?

YESNO

d. What percentage of sexual assault victims do you believe reports the incident to law enforcement?

______%

e. What suggestions, in any, would you offer to increase the likelihood that victims would report sexual assaults?

Other Comments:

2. STALKING:

a. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your community’s ability to effectively assist and respond to victims of STALKING?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

b. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your community’s ability to more successfully assist VICTIMS OF STALKING and to identify, investigate and prosecute these crimes? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budgets do not allow for specialized units of advocates/police/prosecutors to focus on these crime victims

______Training is needed for advocates

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Training is needed for law enforcement officials

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Prosecutors do not aggressively pursue these cases in court

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing or too fearful to report and follow through

______

c. What percentage of stalking victims do you believe reports the incident to law enforcement?

______%

d. What suggestions, in any, would you offer to increase the likelihood that victims would report stalking incidents?

Other Comments:

3. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

a. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your community’s ability to effectively assist and respond to victims of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

b. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your community’s ability to more successfully assist VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VOLENCE and to identify, investigate and prosecute these crimes? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budgets do not allow for specialized units of advocates/police/prosecutors to focus on these crime victims

______Training is needed for advocates

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Training is needed for law enforcement officials

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Prosecutors do not aggressively pursue these cases in court

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing or too fearful to report and follow through

______

c. Does your organization or another in your community have an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence?

YESNO

If not, how far is the nearest shelter? ______miles

d. How feasible is it for a domestic violence victim to obtain an order of protection that removes the abuser from the home, so she and her children do not require emergency shelter?

12345

NOT VERY

FEASIBLE FEASIBLE

What suggestions, if any, would you offer to improve the feasibility?

e. What percentage of domestic violence victims do you believe reports the incident to law enforcement?

______%

f. What suggestions, in any, would you offer to increase the likelihood that victims would report domestic violence?

Other Comments:

4. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the chancery court system’s response in petitions for orders of protection?

12345

NOT VERY

RESPONSIVE RESPONSIVE

What suggestions, if any, would you offer to improve the chancery court system’s response?

5. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the response of the health care community to violence against women?

12345

NOT VERY

RESPONSIVE RESPONSIVE

a. What suggestions, if any, would you offer to improve the medical community’s response?

6. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the coordination between victim services providers and individuals within court system, including prosecutors and law enforcement?

12345

NO VERY POSTIVE

COORDINATION COORDINATION

a. What suggestions, if any, would you offer to improve such coordination?

7. Please indicate with a check mark () special services that are available to you or your office offers to accommodate the special needs of victims who are PHYSICALLY or MENTALLY DISABLED or IMPAIRED?

______Transportation

______Sign Language Interpreters; TDY Machine

______Literature prepared in Braille

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______Social Workers/Special Needs Counselors

______Handicap assessable facility

______

8. Please indicate with a check mark () special services that are available to you or you offer to accommodate the special needs of victims who are GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED?

______Special outreach services to rural areas

______Transportation

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______

9. Please indicate with a check mark () special services that are available to you or you offer to accommodate the special needs of victims who are NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING?

______Special outreach services

______Transportation

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______

10. Other Comments:

- OR -

On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your current ability to effectively prosecute cases of ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

2. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your ability to more successfully prosecute ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budget does not allow for specialized units of deputy prosecutors to focus on these crimes

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing or too fearful to follow through

______

3. Does your area have a rape crisis center, or another program that meets sexual assault victims at the hospital to offer support and services?

YESNO

Other Comments:

3. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your current ability to effectively prosecute cases of STALKING?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

4. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your ability to more successfully prosecute STALKING CASES? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budget does not allow for deputy prosecutors to focus on these crimes

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing to follow through

______

Other Comments:

5. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your current ability to effectively prosecute cases of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

12345

NOT VERY

EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY

6. What do you see as primary obstacles that impede your ability to more successfully prosecute DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES? (Please rank these obstacles in descending order, with a “1” indicating the largest impediment, “2” by the next largest, and so on. Feel free to add others, as needed, and mark “n/a” beside any that simply do not apply.)

______Budget does not allow for deputy prosecutors to focus on these crimes

______Training is needed for prosecutors

______Law enforcement investigations do not include information needed to successfully prosecute

______Innovative prosecution techniques are not recognized by criminal court judges

______Victims are not willing to follow through

______

3. Does your area have an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence?

YESNO

If not, how far is the nearest shelter? ______miles

Other Comments:

4. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the chancery court system’s response in petitions for orders of protection?

12345

NOT VERY

RESPONSIVE RESPONSIVE

What suggestions, if any, would you offer to improve the chancery court system’s response?

______Transportation

______Sign Language Interpreters; TDY Machine

______Literature prepared in Braille

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______Social Workers/Special Needs Counselors

______Handicap assessable office and courthouse

______

8. Please indicate with a check mark () special services that are available to you or you offer to accommodate the special needs of victims who are GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED?

______Special outreach services to rural areas

______Transportation

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______

9. Please indicate with a check mark () special services that are available to you or you offer to accommodate the special needs of victims who are NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING?

______Special outreach services

______Transportation

______Special literature aimed at encouraging these victims to report and pursue crimes

______Safety tools, such as panic buttons and cellular telephones, free of charge

______

Other Comments:

- THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME -

STOP

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

1998 STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

FAXED RESPONSE TO SURVEY

TO: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration

Victim Justice and Assistance Grants Office

P. O. Box 3278

Little Rock, Arkansas

TELEPHONE: (501) 682-5153

FAX: (501) 682-5155

FROM:______

______

TELEPHONE: ______

FAX: ______

Enclosed is my completed response to your survey regarding existing conditions and needs to more effectively identify and respond to cases of violence against women. I understand that my responses will be reviewed along with other responses from the prosecution, law enforcement and victim services fields, and that the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Victim Justice and Assistance Grants Office will develop a State Implementation that will be used as a blueprint for statewide improvements.

______

ELECTED PROSECUTING ATTORNEY