Fort Worth, TX
Our four-day Advanced Strangulation Course will be held October 24-27, 2017 in Fort Worth, TX.
Priority will be given those attending in multi-disciplinary teams from the same jurisdiction. Teams consisting of law enforcement, prosecution, medical professionals, advocates and/or court personnel are highly encouraged to apply.
Applicants will be considered based on:
- Applying and attending as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Experience working with domestic violence and sexual assault victims
- Prior training on strangulation crimes
About the course:
This course has been specifically created for professionals seeking to improve the investigation and prosecution of strangulation cases in their communities. The course will equip attendees with strategies to properly assess for non-fatal strangulation, advocate for the specific medical and safety needs of strangulation survivors, and testify as effective expert witnesses. This course is designed for communities seeking to implement new protocols, create system-wide changes, launch a strangulation response team, or learn about best practices.
The course will cover an in-depth examination of:
- The most current research on domestic violence and sexual assault strangulation crimes
- Medical signs and symptoms of strangulation assaults
- Long term consequences, delayed death, and fatal strangulation
- Investigative strategies, report writing, and interviewing witnesses
- Clinical documentation of strangulation signs and symptoms
- Strategies for advocacy and working with traumatized victims
- Development of local experts
- Use of experts in court, including tips for testifying
Attendees with have the opportunity to:
- View a crime scene and work in a multi-disciplinary team to investigate a strangulation case and prepare evidence for a mock trial.
- Apply trauma-informed investigation and advocacy techniques
- Practice testifying as an expert witness and practice cross-examining an expert witness
- Bring cases from their community for review by faculty members
- Develop strategies for implementing best practices in their own community
- Practice giving a 5-minute presentation on strangulation
For more information, please contact Sarah Sherman Julien.