Enhancing Conviction Integrity through Forensics
Resource:
Achieving Justice at Trial: Direct Examination of Victims of Violent Crimes
In this webinar, the presenters discussed how victims of violent crimes often experience difficulty relating the details of the offender’s commission of the crime. Victims' testimony about their experience can include sharing sensory, psychological, and physiological details to help recreate the reality of violent crimes for juries. The use of trauma-informed techniques during trial preparation can help mitigate distress and support victims for direct examination. This presentation identified effective practices for pre-trial preparation and trial testimony, with special emphasis on strategies for integrating a trauma-informed response from the first contact with a victim through direct examination at trial.
