NCJ Number
56335
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THIS FILM FOR GENERAL VIEWING FOCUSES ON THE SUCCESSFUL, CONCERTED EFFORTS BY POLICE OFFICERS, MEDICAL PERSONNEL, AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST A ONE-TIME SOARING RAPE RATE IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.
Abstract
IN THE WAKE OF A SERIES OF RAPES AT SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY WAS FORCED TO GEAR UP ITS RESPONSE TO RAPE AND ESPECIALLY TO ITS VICTIMS. USING A LEAA GRANT, A SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED AND CHARGED WITH COORDINATING THE USUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECTS OF RAPE INVESTIGATION WITH VICTIM SERVICES AND RAPE PREVENTION EDUCATION EFFORTS. ALTHOUGH JUVENILE OFFICERS, BECAUSE OF THEIR AWARENESS AND SENSITIVITY TO SOCIAL ILLS, WERE CHOSEN TO STAFF THE NEW UNIT, PATROL OFFICERS WERE ALSO GIVEN SENSITIVITY TRAINING. OFFICERS FROM THE UNIT, WORKING WITH VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WHO THEMSELVES HAD BEEN VICTIMS OF RAPE, LAUNCHED AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE SCHOOLS. EFFORTS WERE ALSO UNDERTAKEN TO ORGANIZE THE HUMANE HANDLING OF RAPE VICTIMS BY AREA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS. HOWEVER, PERHAPS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THE SEVERAL EFFORTS BY THE RAPE UNIT WAS A DECOY PROGRAM; POLICE WOMEN, WORKING WITH UNDERCOVER MALE COUNTERPARTS, REGULARLY PATROLED AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF RAPE. INITIAL STATISTICS INDICATE THAT THIS UNDERCOVER OPERATION SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED THE PROBLEM OF RAPE IN SAN JOSE. (KBL)