How the judiciary responds to crimes of sexual violence can set the tone of an entire community:

• Impacts a victim’s healing
• Impacts what defense attorneys feel they can get away with in the courtroom.
• Impacts how confident possible offenders feel in committing sexual violence
• Impacts how people are targeted for sexual victimization. If offenders feel a type of person will not be taken seriously by the criminal justice process they may be more readily targeted.
• Impacts how courts treat victims.
• Impacts what a community feels are serious crimes. If sexual violence is not investigated, prosecuted, and ruled on fairly it send the message that sexual violence is a social norm to be tolerated.
• Impact if communities will blame victim’s for what they feel they “should have” done or not done verses blaming offenders for their actions against an individual’s body autonomy. 

Resources

Magisterial District Judges' Pennsylvania Sexual Violence Benchbook: This is the nation's first Sexual Violence Benchbook designed specifically to guide lower court judges in the handling of sex abuse crimes. It is a resource for Magisterial District Judges that provides information to help them understand the procedural requirements and complexity of sex abuse crimes.

Minor Judicial Benchbook - Complete Book (22 Megs)

Broken down by section for easier downloading:
Intro and Section One: Understanding Sexual Violence  (10 Megs)
Section Two: The Process of a Sex Offense Case (12 Megs)
Section Three: Resources (.5 Megs)
 

Commonwealth Trial Judges'  Pennsylvania Sexual Violence Benchbook. The Pennsylvania Sexual Violence Benchbook provides a comprehensive understanding of Pennsylvania’s current sexual offense laws. Section one, Understanding Sexual Violence, highlights the impact of sexual violence on a victim. Section two, The Process of a Sex Offense Case, addresses the procedural and practical steps of a sex offense case. Section three, Life After Megan’s Law, reviews and compares collateral ramifications of a sexual offense conviction, including sex offender registration laws. Section four, Resources, provides a list of victims’ service providers as well as current research. While this book is written primarily as a resource for Pennsylvania Judges, others in the criminal justice system may find its contents helpful.
 

Understanding Sexual Violence: Prosecuting Adult Rape and Sexual Assault Cases is a model curriculum developed under a grant from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Violence Against Women Office. The National Judicial Education Program (NJEP) developed this curriculum as part of a joint project with the American Prosecutors Research Institute to provide prosecutors with tools for successful sex crimes prosecutions, especially non-stranger rapes.
 

Sexual Assault /Victims Compensation Assistance Program Manual The manual provides a review of VCAP and helps guide counselor/advocates in coupling VCAP with sexual assault victims and their families. It is based on core believes about compensation and how it is related to victimization and healing. Forms for this document have been removed but may be found at http://www.pccd.state.pa.us.

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