Investigations of Sex Crimes in Arlington

Sex crimes investigations are typically initiated by victims who allege that a sex crime has taken place against them. Sex crimes are not investigated in one way only, because there are so many variations of charges and ways that a sex crime can occur. Most police departments have a specialized sex crimes bureau with detectives who are experienced, properly trained, and have several years in the police department, if not more. Those who investigate these allegations are experts in the field of sex crimes. Given that the investigation is being conducted by experts, it is imperative for someone facing sex crime charges to consult with a local sex crimes attorney in order to fight these charges.

While the investigations can be conducted many different ways, they are typically initiated by a victim, and then allegations will be referred to a sex crimes bureau detective, who will be assigned to the case. The detective will take any and all steps they can to help build evidence to show that this offense occurred.

Pre-Arrest Investigations

Pre-arrest investigations are very common in sex crime cases, more so than many other types of charges. That is because a sex abuse or sex crime case frequently begins simply with the allegation of one person, with no witnesses. The bureaus in police departments are designed to build these cases, meaning they build evidence against the accused. From the initial allegation, police officers will talk to witnesses and the person who has been accused, and they will wait for examination reports or DNA or fingerprint evidence, or the result of a sexual abuse examination.

If some of these things take time, Arlington police want to make sure they have a strong case when they finally make an arrest. Therefore, it can take time before a charge is officially lodged against the accused in a rape or other sex crime case.

Agencies Involved in Investigations

In most police departments, there is a specialized sex crimes bureau which is typically composed of several detectives who have experience and an interest in investigating and making arrests. These detectives have specialized training, are often experts, and handle only these cases.

Evidence in Sex Crimes Investigations

The detective in these cases will typically speak with the victim and send the victim to have an examination, depending on what type of sexual charge is alleged, to help provide independent evidence that the crime occurred. Oftentimes the detective will take DNA swabs or fingerprint evidence to prove that the accused did in fact commit the offense. Additionally, they will talk to other witnesses, look for video tape evidence, and speak with people who might have seen the involved individuals earlier in the night.

They detective will also typically try to speak with the individual who has been accused. If the individual makes statements that help corroborate the victim’s story, those will be used against the individual. Sometimes the victim will reach out to the alleged perpetrator on a recorded phone call to help obtain evidence of the alleged rape. The police will take any steps to build their case. Evidence varies on a case-by-case basis, but they are looking at physical evidence, DNA evidence, fingerprint evidence, the result of a sexual abuse examination, statements from the accused person, eyewitnesses, and video tape evidence if that exists.

Importance of Working With an Experienced Sex Crimes Lawyer

When someone is suspected of a sex crime in Arlington, the police are constantly working to build charges against them. A person in this situation has the power of the Commonwealth working against them and they need someone on their side to advise them and help them to fight the Commonwealth’s case. There are numerous steps which investigators in Arlington will take to make their case stronger, and having an attorney’s advice on what and what not to do in regards to the investigation is crucially important. It could be the difference between being charged with an offense or not.