Client: National Institute of Justice
Brief: NIJ’s expert working group developed 35 recommendations to guide victim-centered responses to sexual assault cases and better support victims throughout the criminal justice process. These recommendations offer a roadmap for agencies to enhance policies and protocols for untested sexual assault kits, focusing on collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to evidence collection, lab efficiency, and communication systems to make communities safer.
Solution: The cover imagery shows the journey of a sexual assault kit, from collection at the hospital to forensic lab submission and the judicial process. Each recommendation is highlighted in the text, with sidebars providing additional details. Yellow text boxes with a lightbulb icon draw attention to innovative ideas used by some jurisdictions.
