Project Description

The goal of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) is to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to these cases through a comprehensive and victim-centered approach, as well as to build jurisdictions’ capacity to prevent high numbers of unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs) in the future. This program provides jurisdictions with resources to address their unsubmitted SAK issue, including support to inventory, test, and track SAKs; create and report performance metrics; access necessary training to increase effectiveness in addressing the complex issues associated with these cases and engage in multidisciplinary policy development, implementation, and coordination; and improve practices related to investigation, prosecution, and victim engagement, advocacy, and support in connection with evidence and cases resulting from the testing process. In 2015, the Bureau of Justice Assistance selected RTI to provide training and technical assistance for its SAKI program. The SAKI Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program support coordinated teams of police officers, prosecutors, crime laboratory professionals, sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), forensic medical personnel, and victim services agency members. SAKI TTA provides evidence-based, victim-centered, and sustainable practices; these practices help with collecting and processing forensic evidence, investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases, and supporting sexual assault survivors. SAKI TTA offers the support that jurisdictions need to navigate the unique challenges associated with cold case sexual assault. As of October 2018, we have conducted more than 40 webinars, produced more than 30 briefs, and provided more than 70 in-person TTA events. Additionally, we created the SAKI Toolkit and SAKI Virtual Academy, which are web-based resources designed to create customized curriculum supporting the SAKI holistic approach to sexual assault response reform. The SAKI Toolkit offers hands-on resources tailored for the community of practitioners working to respond to cold case sexual assault. Toolkit users can explore key categories of sexual assault response reform, browse topics centered around skill development, and save tools to a customizable dashboard known as the briefcase. The SAKI Virtual Academy, an online learning platform, offers five e-learning curricula covering the key steps to sexual assault response reform. The curricula are broken out into a total of 24 separate e-learning modules to allow learners to complete courses at their own pace. Throughout each course, learners complete knowledge checks and case study challenges to assess their comprehension of the course content.

Project Partners
Department of Justice
Project Open
Open
Countries