Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews (TRI-SAVI) Training (Alexandria, VA)
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is pleased to announce that the application is now open for Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews (TRI-SAVI) training in Alexandria, VA.
The interview with the victim-survivor may be the most critical component in an effective sexual assault investigation. It directs the investigator where to collect evidence, identifies witnesses and suspects to interview, and can generate corroborative evidence. Traditional interview techniques, however, risk impeding successful communication. A trauma-informed approach to sexual assault investigations and victim interviews uses our understanding of how trauma impacts the brain, behavior and memory, maximizing the amount of accurate information gathered during the investigation and interview.
Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews (TRI-SAVI) is a four-day course in which the “TRI” (investigators, prosecutors and victim advocates) in TRI-SAVI learn the necessary skills to provide a trauma-informed response to adult sexual assault victims, including criminal investigation strategies and victim interviews. This interactive course combines lectures, experiential skill-building exercises, and reading assignments.
Topics will include but are not limited to:
- Addressing rape culture, myths and biases
- Trauma’s effect on behavior and memory
- Best practices in sexual assault investigations
- Common barriers to effective interviews
- Using open narratives and sensory questions
- Partnering with advocates in the response
- Establishing force, threat and intimidation
- Drug/alcohol-facilitated sexual assault
- Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) collaboration
- Establishing psychological, emotional, and physical safety
- Cultural considerations/Underserved populations
Trainers:
Judy Casteele, Project Horizon
Mike Milnor, Justice 3D
Nancy Oglesby, Justice 3D
Who Should Apply?
You must work in a job in which you investigate or prosecute criminal sexual assault cases or provide advocacy services to adult victims of sexual assault in Virginia. These professionals are law enforcement investigators, prosecutors, system-based (victim/witness) advocates and community-based sexual assault victim advocates. Individuals can apply but priority acceptance will be given to teams of at least one prosecutor, one law enforcement investigator, and one victim advocate.
Please note that completing an application does not mean you are registered for the course. Your application will be reviewed and the course director will notify you of the status of your application. All applicants will be notified via the email address provided in the application.
Attendees will receive an email with information about location, parking, lodging options, course agenda, reading assignments, and other information.
How to Apply:
1) During the open application period, click on the link to submit your application.
2) If you are applying as a team, please select 'Team' in the appropriate section and list the names of other team members who will be applying. EACH TEAM MEMBER MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION during the open application period. If you do not have a full team who is able to attend this training, please select “Individual” and complete the application.
3) You will receive an email notification of your application status by the notification of application status date below. After you have confirmed that you will be attending, you will receive an email with information about directions and parking, lodging options, training agenda, reading assignments and other information.
Link to Application (Alexandria, VA): https://forms.office.com/g/2gZ0FGW5qb
2024 TRI-SAVI Trainings:
| Location: | Training Dates: | Open Application Period: | Notification of Application Status by: |
| Alexandria, VA | June 25 - 28 | April 15 – May 24 | May 27 |
Requirements for course completion:
You must commit to participating in every session. Anyone who misses a session or does not complete all course work will not be awarded a certificate of course completion.
Partial In-service Credit:
Partial In-service Credit (PIC) will be available for Virginia law enforcement officers who successfully complete the course.
CLEs will be available for Virginia Commonwealth's Attorneys and prosecutors who successfully complete the course.
Cost:
$100 Registration Fee
Participants are responsible for their own transportation, parking, meal, and lodging costs.
Lunch: No
Date & Location:
June 25 - 28, 2024
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus
5000 Dawes Avenue
Alexandria, VA
Other Information:
This is a paperless training. DCJS will provide a link to all training materials. If you would like hardcopies of your training materials, please make your own copies to bring to the training.
Cancellation Policy
Every effort will be made to hold this scheduled training. However, if DCJS must cancel the training, you will be notified by email as soon as possible.
If you are unable to attend, you may send another person from your program. If you need to cancel, please do so at least 14 days prior to the first day of the training, so that someone on the waiting list can take your space. If you do not notify the course director at least 14 days prior to the training, your registration fee will not be refunded.
If you need to make any changes or if you have questions, please contact the Course Director: