Witness Intimidation in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Cases
Thursday, June 16, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the virtual training, “Witness Intimidation in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Cases”. Intimidation tactics often prevent victims from identifying as such and discourage them from participating in the justice system. Perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence rely on these tactics to evade accountability. To overcome these challenges, keep victims safe, and achieve justice in these cases requires robust collaboration between criminal justice professionals and the community-based programs that serve victims.
This presentation will introduce prosecution strategies to minimize opportunities for intimidation, identify it when it occurs, preserve and make effective use of evidence of intimidation, and aggressively prosecute intimidation-related crimes.
Objectives
At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be better able to:
Presenter: John F. Wilkinson
As an Attorney Advisor with AEquitas, John presents on trial strategy, legal analysis and policy, and ethical issues related to violence against women at the local, state, national and international level. He conducts research; develops training materials, resources, and publications; and provides case consultation and technical assistance for prosecutors and allied professionals. John has presented extensively on the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking both in the United States and abroad. John's international work includes developing and implementing trainings for police, prosecutors, judges and allied professionals in national and international conferences in Brazil, Cameroon, Egypt, Fiji, France and South Africa. Additionally, John leads AEquitas’ Innovative Prosecution Solutions Project, working with prosecutor’s offices around the country on innovative and evaluated approaches to violent crime.
Prior to working with AEquitas, John was the Program Manager for the Gun Violence Prosecution Program, Homeland Security Program and Southwest Border Crime Program of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) where he traveled extensively throughout the United States presenting on gun and gang violence and homeland security issues. He also regularly collaborated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to bring data-driven best practices to criminal justice professionals. Under his direction, the Homeland Security Program created a unique counter-terrorism training program for prosecutors and probation/parole officers. Additionally, his Southwest Border Crime Program created a curriculum for prosecutors and allied professionals covering all aspects of the Drug Cartel Business Model and focusing on human trafficking, human smuggling, drug and gun trafficking, home invasions and kidnappings and undocumented alien victim/witness issues.
From 1998 through 2005, John served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Fredericksburg, VA prosecuting cases involving intimate partner violence and sexual assault, including cases of campus sexual assaults and domestic violence homicide. He also served on the Fredericksburg Area Sexual Assault Response Team and prosecuted child sexual and physical abuse and neglect cases and infant homicides. He assisted in the development of the Mary Washington Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program. Additionally, John competed Virginia's Top Gun Investigation and Prosecution of Drug Cases course and prosecuted numerous drug and firearms related offenses. He was a regular lecturer at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy and spoke at the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. From 1994 to 1998, John served as an Assistant Public Defender in Fredericksburg, VA representing indigent clients in matters ranging from first-degree murder to summary offenses. In 1997 he was presented the Phillip M. Sadler Award for excellence in public defense. From 1991 to 1994, John worked at the Offices of William E. Gardner in Fairfax, VA primarily engaged in criminal defense and civil litigation.
Participant Registration and Cost: This training is free. Participants need to register in advance for the training. Please visit here to register.
