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Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam – A Case Study Highlighting The Need for Better Collaboration
In June 2011, the Platte County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a body located in a conservation area. When they arrived, deputies found a semi-nude white female with severe injuries to her head, wearing only a bikini top. The deceased was identified as Alyssa Shippert. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to the head. The Sheriff’s office worked numerous leads but was unable to establish a suspect in the case.
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Ethics, Equity and the Principles of Justice (You Said What Now?)
The ways in which forensic nurses and other medical providers working with victims of violent crime conduct themselves, both with patients and in the courtroom, can have lasting effects on individual and community practice. Using examples from the media, trial transcripts and case law, this session will look at ethical challenges that arise in forensic nursing practice and how those challenges impact both patient care and testimony at trial. Participants should expect a lively, interactive discussion with an emphasis placed on practical, rather than theoretical, application.
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Detection and Visibility of Bruises using Alternate Light: From Science to Practice
In this presentation, the presenters will review the science behind alternate light and bruising. They will also present the major findings of a recent National Institute of Justice funded, multi-site, randomized controlled trial comparing alternate light to white light (i.e., normal examination lighting) in the visualization of bruises. The knowledge generated from this study objectively demonstrates that using alternate light improves the detection and visibility of potential bruises, which increases the scientific and evidentiary validity of alternate light findings.
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Is Forensic Compliance Working? Lessons Learned from the Colorado Evaluation Project
The efficacy of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) forensic compliance provisions have not been systematically evaluated since the inception of the laws in 2005 and 2013. Data on how forensic compliance is being implemented, why survivors are choosing certain reporting options, and what actually happens to cases when a survivor decides at a later time to engage with a law enforcement investigation is a largely unknown landscape.
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Using Virtual Meeting Software for Interviews with Victims
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, law enforcement officers are using innovative tactics to connect with victims for investigations and to ensure they receive the support they need. One tool some agencies are using is virtual meeting software; they're interviewing victims and including victim advocates in that process just like they would with a traditional interview. In this panel presentation and discussion, investigators and a forensic nurse utilizing virtual software to interview victims, witnesses, and suspects will discuss the advantages and challenges. They will provide tips and talk about pitfalls to avoid.
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Thinking Outside the “Kit” – Transportation Options for Improving Access to Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exams
Affordable, safe, discrete, and reliable transportation is key to ensuring that victims of sexual assault have access to medical-forensic exams. The presenters will engage in a discussion with guests representing organizations around the country that are providing a range of transportation options for sexual assault survivors.
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Using Telehealth to Increase the Quality of Forensic-Medical Evidence Collection and Deliver Trauma-Informed Care
Join us for a fascinating presentation and discussion with two nursing experts who are using telehealth technology to expand the reach of forensic nursing to hospitals and clinics in rural, tribal, and other underserved areas.
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Use of Alternate Light Source/Negative Invert Filters to Improve Visibility of Injuries Under the Skin
Strangulation is a common form of intentionally inflicted injury on victims of interpersonal violence. Unfortunately, this type of injury has often been overlooked by both medical providers and law enforcement professionals. This is due to the fact that most injuries incurred from strangulation are not visible to the naked eye. While external signs and symptoms of strangulation and other injuries may be difficult to detect with the naked eye, new technologies are available to assist in visualizing these underlying physical injuries. These new technologies include alternate light sources (ALS), digital software filters, and the use of digital photodocumentation to capture images visible with the assistance of ALS.