Publications for Victim Advocates

Publications containing information on DNA technology and its applications in criminal justice systems.

DNA: Critical Issues for Those Who Work with Victims (Video)
Office for Victims of Crime, April 2007
This 24-minute DVD (NCJ 211970) raises awareness for victim advocates, criminal justice practitioners, and others who work with crime victims about the issues involved for those whose cases involve DNA evidence. The video highlights issues such as collection and preservation of evidence, the crime's impact on the victim, victim notification at points along the process, and victim involvement and participation in the process.

View Clip | Order from NCJRS | View Entire Video (courtesy of the Denver DA's Office)

National Training Standards for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiners (Adobe PDF)
Office on Violence Against Women, 2006 
Offers a framework for the specialized education of health care providers who wish to practice as sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs). The standards provide guidelines to prepare SAFE candidates to work in coordination with other responders to meet the health care, forensic, and information needs of adult and adolescent sexual assault patients who present for the medical forensic examination. They are intended to guide those who develop, revise, coordinate, and/or conduct SAFE training regarding the minimum levels of instruction necessary to prepare candidates for their role. This standard is a companion to A National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations.

See also the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Technical Assistance Web site: a Violence Against Women-funded project of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, provides online technical assistance with implementing the SAFE Protocol.

Identifying Victims Using DNA: A Guide for Families (National Institute of Justice 2005). 
This 8-page booklet gives an overview of the DNA analysis process so that surviving family and friends will understand what DNA analysis can and cannot do, describes the sources of DNA that forensic scientists might use, and explains the differences between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. This booklet also is available in Spanish.

A National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations
Office on Violence Against Women, 2004
Offering assistance to victims in the immediate aftermath of a sexual assault is essential. The Office on Violence Against Women developed this protocol to help health care providers, law enforcement officers, advocates, and others address the health needs of and minimize the trauma suffered by victims of sexual assault. Additionally, health providers need to know how to conduct a proper medical forensic exam to ensure that DNA and other evidence collected from the victim will be valid in court.

Understanding DNA Evidence: A Guide for Victim Service Providers
National Institute of Justice and Office for Victims of Crime, 2001
Describes the value of DNA evidence for victim service providers so that they may understand the potential significance of DNA evidence to their clients' cases.

• NIJ Brochure
• OVC Bulletin

Postconviction DNA Testing: Recommendations for Handling Requests
National Institute of Justice, 1999
Developed by the Postconviction Issues Working Group of the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence, this publication offers recommendations for prosecutors, defense counsels, courts, and other relevant groups who receive requests for postconviction DNA testing on how to handle such requests.

Read the complete text of Postconviction DNA Testing: Recommendations for Handling Requests on DNA.gov or download the document in Acrobat PDF or ASCII.