Rape complaints: Police under fire. (Part 2); Forensic Experiential Trauma Review: response by New York Police Department (NYPD) to a recent report critical of its sex crimes investigations, shows how quickly the still scientifically unproven "Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview" is spreading in The U.S.A. and elsewhere..."He (Assistant Commissioner J. Peter Donald)SVD and department leadership, including Police Commissioner James O’Neill, meet with advocates regularly. SVD (Sexual Victims Division) detectives also undergo Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview Training to better deal with victims and general sex crimes training and a two-week criminal investigators course, Donald said.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The response by the New York Police Department (NYPD) to a recent report critical of its sex crimes investigations, shows how quickly the still scientifically unproven    "Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview" is spreading in The U.S.A and other jurisdictions where police are coming under fire from rape crisis activists  who believe that a complaint of rape should be enough to lay a criminal charge - as in a 'he said, she said,' situation -  far less than the  'reasonable prospect of conviction' test which is used for other criminal charges. As The New York Post reports "Donald touted SVD’s “survivor-centered model” of conducting investigations, which includes options for reporting crimes and the ability to do so anonymously and without requiring an in-person meeting with investigators, as well as “no pressure” to participate in criminal investigations after filing a report and being accompanied with a sexual assault advocate during all phases of the investigation. He said SVD and department leadership, including Police Commissioner James O’Neill, meet with advocates regularly. SVD detectives also undergo (Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview Training) to better deal with victims and general sex crimes training and a two-week criminal investigators course, Donald said." The post article reflects the politicization of sexual crime prosecutions, the difficult position in which police officers have been placed by this public pressure, and resulting dangers, such as use of scientifically unproven investigative techniques such as Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview as  a basis for laying serious criminal charges.  The fact that The New York Police Department  - the largest police force in the United States - is using this controversial technique is of great concern, given the risk it poses of wrongful prosecutions.

See  previously post of this Blog (December 10, 2018) at the link below: Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview: (FETI); Part 2: A matter of growing concern. Report obtained by this Blog indicates 'FETI' has been rejected by the U.S. Air Force..."Given the lack of empirical evidence on FETI’s effectiveness, and the large number of investigative, professional and scientific concerns regarding FETI and FETI training, the Air Force does not consider FETI as a viable option for investigative interviewing. We believe it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to discontinue the use of a robust, well-studied, effective, and empirically-validated interviewing method that is supported by the latest scientific research (the Cognitive Interview), in favor of an interviewing method that is loosely constructed, is based on flawed science, makes unfounded claims about its effectiveness, and has never once been tested, studied, researched or validated (FETI)."

 http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2017/12/forensic-experiential-trauma-interview_10.html

 Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.

-----------------------------------------------------------

STORY: "NYPD: Critical sex crimes report was ‘inaccurate,’ ‘misleading’ by reporters  Shawn Cohen and Lia Eustachewich, published by The New York Post on March 27, 2018.
SUB-HEADING: "NYPD too understaffed to properly investigate sex crimes," report finds.

GIST: The NYPD slapped down a new report Tuesday about its understaffed and poorly trained Special Victims Division, calling the findings “inaccurate” and “misleading.” Assistant Commissioner J. Peter Donald said the report by the city Department of Investigation neglected to include interviews with several “primary stakeholders,” including top NYPD executives. “This document is an investigation in name only; it is inaccurate, misleading and does material damage to the relationships of trust the NYPD Special Victims Division (SVD) has worked hard to develop with survivors of sex crimes,” Donald said in a statement. “Any objective, thorough and fact-based examination should contain accurate descriptions of policy, procedure, practices and staff resources.” The report says there are just 67 detectives currently handling sex-crime cases – a statistic Donald said is flat-out wrong. He put the number of detectives – whom he referred to as “the best trained investigators in the NYPD” — at 85. He also said the average caseload of an SVD squad – which is located in each of the five boroughs and handles adult sex crimes – was 62 cases per investigator in 2017. Donald touted SVD’s “survivor-centered model” of conducting investigations, which includes options for reporting crimes and the ability to do so anonymously and without requiring an in-person meeting with investigators, as well as “no pressure” to participate in criminal investigations after filing a report and being accompanied with a sexual assault advocate during all phases of the investigation. He said SVD and department leadership, including Police Commissioner James O’Neill, meet with advocates regularly. SVD detectives also undergo Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview Training to better deal with victims and general sex crimes training and a two-week criminal investigators course, Donald said. “Even the Inspector General’s own document recognizes that the NYPD has been and continues to be the leader in investigating sex crimes — a view held by many others — in New York City and around the world,” Donald said." The entire story can be read at:https://nypost.com/2018/03/27/nypd-critical-sex-crimes-report-was-inaccurate-misleading/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.