The alleged rape of a young high school student in Texas, Amber Wyatt, some years ago is an interesting story in the subject of Sexual Assault and Rape. The question that comes up, at least for me, is, why can’t we create a more comprehensive investigative platform to walk through these cases? I will outline what I mean, but please review the story yourself at the following links:
From the Today Show’s Megyan Kelly
Megyan Kelly Interview of a Rape Sexual Assault Victim
From NPR:
Set aside any bias you may have to the story sources if that exists. The point of this, as it should be for the investigations, is the search for truth and facts. Will this kind of process add to the time factor and the workload to what may already be a backlogged and difficult process? Yes, but is it worth it? I say yes! So what am I talking about?
What if, when a crime of these types is alleged, Detectives, or Investigators, begin their process of evidence collection, interviews, and following up any and all available leads. When all this is collected, they present their gathered evidence to an internal panel of Supervisory Investigators/detectives. Those persons review the checklist and all the evidence, along with the investigative teams’ presentation of such information. As to the checklist, it might look something like:
| Victim Interview | By whom, date completed, written statement (yes/no), recorded | open | open |
| Witness Interviews | By whom
Written/recorded/video |
open | open |
| Photos | By whom | open | open |
| DNA | Scientific Investigators section | open | open |
| Blood | Scientific investigators section | open | open |
| Physical Evidence | Collected by, type, processed by lab (yes/no) | open | open |
| Video evidence | Source
content |
open | open |
| Suspect Identification | In custody (yes/no)
Interviewed (yes/no) By whom Written statement Recording video |
open | open |
| Polygraph Victim | done by | open | open |
| Polygraph Suspect | open | open |
So this checklist is intended to ensure and document each step is taken and identify each area needing more action. It becomes a “go-by” for the investigators. It provides a standard and a template for the coming presentation to the District, State or Federal Attorneys. It provides accountability for the investigator should there be a question as to whether or not certain actions were taken in the investigative timeline.
This process is a bit similar to the “Murder Book” that many departments utilize, except that these are specific investigative go-by’s that shall be followed.
Is it perfect or full-proof? Well of course not. Criminal Investigations are a part of the imperfect science of crime and investigations. There can be no perfect way of doing these things. I leave sections blank for agencies to add their own processes and ways of documenting actions.
Will this solve the Sexual Assault and Rape problem…no, of course not! But it certainly will make the easy job of Sexual Assault and Rape and more risky job for the scum perpetrators. And it will showcase a method for even the novice investigators.
I am open to constructive and creative recommendations or alternatives.