Special victims prosecutors offices to be operational by year’s end
By Meghann Myers
Tuesday, Nov 21
Starting in 2024, independent prosecutors will be in control of sexual assault cases. (Staff Sgt. Joshua Magbanua/Air Force)
A decade after a New York senator first started pushing to take sexual assault prosecutions out of the hands of commanders, the services are taking the final steps to make it a reality.
They each have until the end of the year to make their special victims prosecutor offices fully operational and are on track to make that deadline, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told Military Times on Tuesday, during an event for the Project on Media and National Security.
“Once it’s the 29th of December ... anything that happens after that point, they will have that independent oversight of, so we’ve ensured they’re ready to go,” she said.
The offices will also oversee several other major crimes, including domestic violence, child abuse, murder and manslaughter.
The move is the centerpiece of more than 80 recommendations made in 2021 by a congressionally-mandated independent review commission on sexual assault.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/11/21/special-victims-prosecutors-offices-to-be-operational-by-years-end/
