SVJI Resource Highlight: New and Updated Case File Review Materials

By Miranda Gonzalez

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Rural Realities blog! In this blog, we will be highlighting one of our recently revised workbooks, What do Sexual Assault Cases look like in Our Community? A Case File Review Workbook. This guide is for sexual assault response teams (SARTs) who are interested in evaluating their work by reviewing case notes developed by the criminal legal system. We at SVJI define the case file review process as the systematic process of examining case files and identifying themes within the criminal legal response. It can be used to determine compliance with or deviance from established policies and protocols. Case file review also can include a determination of gaps and barriers to effective community response to sexual assault.

This workbook guides the team through the entire process of the review. SVJI also provides an overview of case file review and its role in systems changed evaluation through a guided webinar. This workbook is filled with interactive activities, discussion questions, and note-taking templates that teams will complete before, during, and after a case file review. Teams will be able to look at each activity together and document their thoughts in the actual workbook, creating a historical document for reference.

The workbook is divided into four sections: Foundations, Preparations, Case File Review, and Findings and Recommendations. In the foundations chapter teams will explore the idea of case file review and determine if this method of evaluation will fit their needs. You can learn more about each activity in the foundation’s chapter by reviewing our first case file review micro learning. In the preparations chapter, teams will have several conversations so that they are ready for case file review, including how to uphold confidentiality during the review. To learn more about the activities in the preparations chapter teams can watch the second case file review micro learning. If teams have questions specifically about confidentiality, they may find some answers in our confidentiality webinar. Next, teams will take action while using the materials in the case file review. To learn more about these materials and practice with a mock case, the team can view our third micro learning here. Lastly, in our findings and recommendations chapter, teams will reflect on what they have learned and create an action plan. To learn more about the final chapter of the workbook, teams can watch the fourth micro learning. Case file review is an exciting method of evaluation! If your team has any questions about this process, please reach out to us at svji@mncasa.org.

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-22-GK-04024-RURA awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.