It Happens Every Day: Inside the World of a Sex Crimes D.A.
According to crime statistics from the Department of Justice, 67 percent of sexual assault victims in 2008 were juveniles and an astonishing 93 percent of these victims knew their attackers. This is not news to veteran prosecutor Robin Sax. When she worked as a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County specializing in sex crimes against children, she personally reviewed at least five new cases every day. In this county alone, there are some sixty prosecutors, all of whom deal with a...
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Foreword by Noted Los Angeles Defense Attorney Mark GeragosAccording to crime statistics from the Department of Justice, 67 percent of sexual assault victims in 2008 were juveniles and an astonishing 93 percent of these victims knew their attackers. This is not news to veteran prosecutor Robin Sax. When she worked as a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County specializing in sex crimes against children, she personally reviewed at least five new cases every day. In this county alone, there are some sixty prosecutors, all of whom deal with a similar caseload.What really happens when law enforcement decides to prosecute a child sexual assault case? In this revealing, informative, and disturbing book, Sax shows readers how the real criminal justice system works, in terms you rarely hear about on the news. She candidly assesses what's right about the system and what needs to be changed. Her hope is that, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of our current judicial system, we'll all be in a better position to protect our children.Dividing the work into two parts, she begins with "Behind the One-Way Mirror," which deals with the investigation portion of child sexual assault. She defines exactly what constitutes sexual assault and then presents the ingredients of what makes a case "fileable." She also explains why some cases never get filed. In the second part, "Behind the Counsel Table," Sax sheds light on the whole court process. She discusses a range of issues, including mandatory sentencing, plea bargains, unsupportive parents, using children's testimony to prosecute the perpetrator, DNA evidence, the importance of corroboration, and the weaknessesof the jury system.This gritty, in-depth discussion from an insider on the front lines of law enforcement's campaign against child sexual assault makes an important contribution toward protecting society's most vulnerable citizens from a crime that is reaching near-epidemic proportions.WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: "Robin Sax continues to impress with her in depth knowledge of crimes against children. As a long time child safety advocate I find Robin's insider perspective of the criminal justice system educational and illustrative. She provides clarity where there was previously ambiguity. It Happens Every Day is a must read for anyone wishing to understand the inner workings of the criminal justice system."—Marc Klaas, President KlaasKids Foundation"Our children are being sexually assaulted at an astounding rate in this country and no one knows that better than prosecutor Robin Sax. Her years of front line dedication to sex crimes cases has helped improve the way law enforcement relates to these young victims as they pursue their cases. It Happens Every Day is a must have guidebook toward keeping our kids safe and, in the event that something horrible happens, it's an empowering map to understanding how the criminal justice system works - and doesn't work." —Diane Dimond, crime and justice journalist and columnist"An excellent in depth look at the crime that no one wants to talk about. For those of you not exposed to this crime every day, it's a tough read, but an important and necessary book if you care about children. This book will open your eyes to the crime that society wants to pretend doesn't happen. It's hard to believe that in today's media age many people still don't understand how damaging child molestation is to the victim and those surrounding the case. Robin doesn't sugar coat anything in her book, she exposes child molesters and the damage they can cause. This book is a must read for new professionals in the field of protecting children, teaching children and every parent who are concerned for the safety of their children."—Sergeant Dan Scott, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau"Robin Sax is a seasoned DA with a wealth of real life stories to draw from as she walks you through the nuts and bolts behind-the-scenes of sex crimes prosecution. She's both frank and fascinating, debunking myths and painting a realistic, unflinching portrait of this important topic."—Lisa R. Cohen author of After Etan: The Missing Child Case That Held America Captive Publishers Weekly In this informative but uneven examination of sex crimes against children, former L.A. County Dep. DA Sax traces the prosecution of this “social epidemic” from identifying the perpetrator to securing a conviction. The statistics Sax presents are sobering: for instance, 67% of reported sexual assault victims are children. Sax outlines her role as prosecutor and, most importantly, how this role is incorporated into the “team approach,” with information shared among police, prosecutor, medical professionals and the victim's advocate. She also challenges popular beliefs regarding sexual assault, especially parents' fears that the biggest danger comes from strangers: 93% of sexual assaults on children are committed by someone the victim knows. Though her passion for her work is undeniable, Sax is unable to maintain a steady tone, too often straying from astute legal analysis (differentiating the law's view of adult versus child sexual assault, for example) into personal views. But despite the often slipshod organization, the issues Sax raises with the criminal justice system's handling of these cases and the solutions she proposes require attention. (Oct.)
Author's Note 11Foreword Mark Geragos Geragos, Mark 13Introduction Making a Difference, One Case at a Time 17Pt. I Behind the One-Way Mirror: Asking the Most Difficult QuestionsCh. 1 It Takes a Team 25Ch. 2 The Fax Never Stops Buzzing: New Cases Every Day 47Ch. 3 The Cases That Push the Envelope 65Ch. 4 First Meetings and Impressions 83Ch. 5 Helping Victims Remember What They Want to Forget 99Ch. 6 Profile of a Predator 119Pt. II Behind Counsel Table: Time for CourtCh. 7 Corroborating a Child's Word: Other Evidence 139Ch. 8 Kids on the Stand 153Ch. 9 It Never Happened: Uncooperative Victims and Unsupportive Moms 173Ch. 10 The Real-Life Effect of CSI 191Ch. 11 Doing Time for the Crime: Sentencing and Plea Bargaining 207Ch. 12 Registration and Prevention 227Afterword: You Have Received Your Subpoena - Now What? 252Appendix Where Can I Go for More Information? 257Notes 271Acknowledgments 275
\ From the Publisher"It Happens Every Day is a must have guidebook toward keeping our kids safe and, in the event that something horrible happens, it's an empowering map to understanding how the criminal justice system works - and doesn't work."\ —Diane Dimond, crime and justice journalist and columnist\ "As a long time child safety advocate I find Robin’s insider perspective of the criminal justice system educational and illustrative. She provides clarity where there was previously ambiguity. It Happens Every Day is a must read for anyone wishing to understand the inner workings of the criminal justice system."\ —Marc Klaas, President KlaasKids Foundation\ \ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklyIn this informative but uneven examination of sex crimes against children, former L.A. County Dep. DA Sax traces the prosecution of this “social epidemic” from identifying the perpetrator to securing a conviction. The statistics Sax presents are sobering: for instance, 67% of reported sexual assault victims are children. Sax outlines her role as prosecutor and, most importantly, how this role is incorporated into the “team approach,” with information shared among police, prosecutor, medical professionals and the victim's advocate. She also challenges popular beliefs regarding sexual assault, especially parents' fears that the biggest danger comes from strangers: 93% of sexual assaults on children are committed by someone the victim knows. Though her passion for her work is undeniable, Sax is unable to maintain a steady tone, too often straying from astute legal analysis (differentiating the law's view of adult versus child sexual assault, for example) into personal views. But despite the often slipshod organization, the issues Sax raises with the criminal justice system's handling of these cases and the solutions she proposes require attention. (Oct.)\ \
