Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
Federal Grant Approves Sex Crimes Deputy for Prosecutor – August 14, 2009
PRESS RELEASE
August 14, 2009
For More Information, contact:
Chris Gaal, Office of the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney, 349-2670
FEDERAL GRANT APPROVES SEX CRIMES DEPUTY FOR PROSECUTOR
The Office of Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Gaal has been approved to receive $161,833 through a federal grant to fund a new sex crimes deputy prosecutor for the period of two years. Gaal’s office applied for the funding under the STOP Recovery Act proposed by President Obama in an effort to stimulate jobs and stabilize the economy.
Gaal welcomed news of the grant’s approval, saying, “A strong commitment to public safety as an essential government service becomes even more important during a recession.”
The new sex crimes deputy prosecutor position is proposed to oversee a caseload specializing in felony sexual assault and child molestation charges. According to Gaal, dedicating a single person to handle sex crime cases is a best practice that has been implemented in numerous other jurisdictions around the country. Currently, sex crimes in Monroe County are handled alongside a general felony caseload such as repeat drunk driving offenses and serious battery.
“Sexual assault cases are among the most difficult we conduct,” said Gaal. “There are unique issues related to forensic medical evidence and eliciting testimony from rape survivors and child witnesses. Having one person to invest in training and to accumulate expertise in these cases should result in better service to the community.”
The federal grant will last for two years, and will require county council approval before it can be implemented. “Even if funding for this position disappears in two years, it will still have been worth it to develop increased expertise in these cases within our office,” Gaal said.