The 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office has officially announced the creation of a new Special Victims Unit (SVU).
The Special Victims Unit, which officially launched at the end of 2023, currently consists of 4 experienced staff members within the D.A.’s Office who are well versed in the complexities of prosecuting sex crimes.
The Office plans to add another experienced sex crimes investigator to the unit. This investigator will be on call and available to consult with law enforcement partners at the outset of the initial complaint.
The Office has also added a dedicated victim assistance coordinator to the unit. She is a former forensic interviewer who is bilingual and will be available to provide an array of services to the victims and their families.
In addition to the D.A.’s Office, the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) tasked with handling these complex cases also includes law enforcement agencies; the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS); expert physicians from The Audrey Hepburn Care Center (under the umbrella of Children’s Hospital); a human trafficking specialist from the FBI; and forensic interviewers, therapists, and victim advocates from the Children’s Advocacy Center Hope House.
The team is specifically trained on responding to trauma in victims, and in forensic interviewing. Forensic interviews are extremely important pieces of evidence that help the D.A.’s Office provide justice for abuse victims. They must be conducted by trained professionals, and all questions must be asked in a neutral, non-leading manner in order for the interview to be admissible in court.
The Multi-Disciplinary Team meets in both parishes on a regular schedule.
