SALT LAKE CITY April 18, 2016 –A new independent study indicates that under a new interviewing protocol developed by Donna Kelly of the Utah Prosecution Council in conjunction with West Valley Police Department sexual assault cases investigated by the West Valley City Police Department (WVCPD) are four times more likely to be prosecuted.
“Protecting and serving Utahns is our first priority, and Donna Kelly’s success with West Valley City Police Department in developing this protocol is a stellar example,” said Attorney General Sean Reyes. “Working hand-in-hand with both law enforcement, Kelly has made strides in protecting the needs of victims and enhancing prosecution efforts against perpetrators.”
The study, conducted by Brigham Young University researcher and Forensic Nurse Julie Valentine over a period of a year, examined the “Trauma Informed Victim Interview” protocol, or TIVI, developed initially in 2013. The study analyzed victim satisfaction and prosecution rates. Valentine found that victim satisfaction was high and that prosecution rates drastically increased.
For more information, please see the WVCPD press release below.
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