Title : Testing the Efficacy of SANE / SART Programs : Do They Make a Difference in Sexual Assault Arrest & Prosecution Outcomes ?

Statement of Purpose: To explore the impact of SANE/SART interventions on the judicial process. Goals and Objectives: The goal of this study is to test the efficacy of SANE/SART programs as a tool in the criminal justice system. The American Prosecutors Research Institute and Boston College tested the hypotheses that SANE/SART exams increase arrest and prosecution rates. In testing this hypothesis, the project team sought to answer five primary research questions: 1. Is the arrest rate higher in cases where a SANE/SART exam is performed as compared with cases in which no exam is performed? 2. Is the indictment/charging rate higher in such cases? 3. Are guilty pleas more likely to be entered in such cases, and are pleas likely to be to the existing charge or to a lesser charge? 4. Is the conviction rate higher in such cases? 5. Is the sentence more severe in such cases? Description of Research Subjects: In each study site, the project team randomly selected up to 125 sexual assault cases in which there was a SANE or SART intervention and 125 cases in which there was no SANE/SART intervention. A total of 262 SANE/SART and 268 nonSANE/SART cases were selected. Research Design and Methodology Methods for Achieving Goals and Objectives: Case information was collected from SANE/SART, prosecution files in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Sedgwick County, Kansas, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Comparisons were made between SANE/SART and nonSANE/SART cases to determine if the intervention predicted the likelihood of criminal justice system outcomes including identification/arrest of a suspect, filing of charges, case disposition, type of penalty, and length of sentence. Descriptive, multivariate, and inferential statistics were used to examine the differences between cases and the relationships between SANE/SART intervention and case outcome. Results and Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that compared to non-SANE/SART cases, SANE/SART cases are reported more quickly, have more evidence (DNA evidence in particular) available, and have more victim participation, although SANE-only cases had the lowest participation levels. SANE/SART intervention is also a factor in the identification and arrest of a suspect, the strongest predictor that charges will be filed, and helps to increase the likelihood of conviction. Insufficient information was available to determine the impact of SANE/SART intervention on penalty and length of sentence. Overall, the findings are quite supportive of SANE/SART programs and their efficacy as a tool in the criminal justice system. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Over the past 25 years, there has been significant reform in sexual assault law and the protection of women. In the early 1970s, little attention was paid to the issues of rape, survivors of rape, and sexual offenders. As a result of a handful of very public rape forums and attention from feminist groups, the anti-rape movement began to take shape and bring about social change with regard to how the public and policy makers viewed sexual offenses and perhaps more importantly, how the medical community and criminal justice system handled sexual offenses. This movement highlighted some of the most significant issues with regard to the treatment of rape and rape survivors. In particular, rape victims were often “blamed” by medical and law enforcement professionals; rape examinations were humiliating and dehumanizing, were often not thorough, and lacked a systematic method for evidence collection (Bahm, 2001; Campbell, Wasco, Ahrens, Sefl, & Barnes, 2001; Girardin, 2005; Holmstrom & Burgess, 1983). As these issues came to light, communities across the country began to involve nurses in the care of sexual assault victims (Lang, 1999; Ledray, 1999). Nurses were provided training on first response care to sexual assault victims, collecting forensic evidence, conducting evidentiary examinations, and maintaining the chain of evidence and evidence integrity (Campbell, 2004). These nurses became known as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). Building on the success of SANE programs, communities began creating teams of primary and secondary responders called Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs). SARTs bring together law enforcement, detectives, victim advocates, and healthcare providers to assist sexual assault victims through the criminal justice process. The intent