{"id":816,"date":"2014-02-14T19:28:04","date_gmt":"2014-02-15T03:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=816"},"modified":"2014-02-20T12:49:34","modified_gmt":"2014-02-20T20:49:34","slug":"justice-department-missoula-county-das-office-discriminates-women-sexually-assaulted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=816","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Missoula County Attorney’s Office Botched the Cases of Women Who Were Sexually Assaulted"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fred<\/a>
Fred Van Valkenburg, the Missoula County Attorney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MONTANA<\/strong> — The U.S. Department of Justice found substantial evidence that the Missoula County, Montana Attorney’s Office’s handling and response to sexual assault cases discriminates against women.<\/p>\n

Investigators said the county attorney did not provide its lawyers with basic knowledge and training about sexual assault that is necessary to effectively prosecute sexual assault cases.<\/p>\n

Friday, the Department of Justice issued its findings after it investigated the Missoula County Attorney’s Office along with the Missoula Police Department and the University of Montana’s Office of Public Safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProsecutors play a critical role in ensuring that women victims of sexual assault have effective and equal access to criminal justice,\u201d said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. \u201cWe uncovered evidence of a disturbing pattern of deficiencies in the handling of these cases by the County Attorney\u2019s Office, a pattern that not only denies victims meaningful access to justice, but places the safety of all women in Missoula at risk. ”<\/p>\n

The investigation began May 2012 into the investigation of the University of Montana’s handling of allegations of sexual assault and harassment of students under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, according to federal authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The investigation of the Missoula Police Department and both investigations of the University of Montana were resolved in May 2013, via cooperative agreements with the Justice Department<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProsecutors play a critical role in ensuring that women victims of sexual assault have effective and equal access to criminal justice,\u201d said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. \u201cWe uncovered evidence of a disturbing pattern of deficiencies in the handling of these cases by the County Attorney\u2019s Office, a pattern that not only<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifically, the investigation found evidence that the decisions of the County Attorney\u2019s Office regarding the investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults are influenced by gender bias and stereotyping that adversely affect women.<\/p>\n

The investigation also found the following:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u00b7 The County Attorney\u2019s Office generally does not develop evidence in support of sexual assault prosecutions, either on its own or in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies<\/li>\n
  • \u00b7 Adult women victims, particularly victims of non-stranger sexual assault and rape, are often treated with disrespect, not informed of the status of their case and revictimized by the process; and<\/li>\n
  • \u00b7 The County Attorney\u2019s Office routinely fails to engage in the most basic communication about its cases of sexual assault with law enforcement and advocacy partners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    MONTANA — The U.S. Department of Justice found substantial evidence that the Missoula County, Montana Attorney’s Office’s handling and response to sexual assault cases discriminates against women. Investigators said the county attorney…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[40,159,158,157,1721],"class_list":["post-816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-civil-rights-division","tag-jocelyn-samuels","tag-missoula-county-attorneys-office","tag-sexual-assault","tag-u-s-department-of-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nFeds: Missoula County Attorney's Office Botched the Cases of Women Who Were Sexually Assaulted<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"MONTANA -- The U.S. Department of Justice found substantial evidence that the Missoula County, Montana Attorney's Office's handling and response to sexual\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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