CPI: 'Start By Believing:’ Lawmakers Must Act Swiftly to Root Out Police Misconduct and Bias

Press release here. Excerpt:

'Following last week’s announcement of a settlement between the City of Charleston (SC) and a man who had been falsely arrested, the Center for Prosecutor Integrity is warning state legislatures to take steps to rein in use of “victim-centered” investigative methods that presume the guilt of the accused, downplay inconsistencies in witness statements, and bias the investigative report.

These “victim-centered” approaches are known by names such as “Start By Believing,” “believe the victim,” and “trauma-informed.”

Ethical codes require investigators to conduct their work with impartiality, objectivity, and honesty (1).  In contrast, Start By Believing instructs sexual assault investigators to begin the probe with “an initial presumption” of guilt, and then to (2):

1. Make the sexual encounter appear to be non-consensual by making the complainant “appear more innocent.”
2. Conceal inconsistencies in the complainant’s statements “by not writing a detailed report for any victim or witness who has already provided a detailed, written summary of events.”
3. Slant the report: Investigators should focus on witness statements that serve to “corroborate the victim’s account.”'