A Michigan sex crimes investigation can be brought forth by various police agencies. A lot of places actually have policies and procedures that they have to investigate if an accusation is made. Situations that take place at work, schools, churches, or in therapist's office or the doctor's, if there is any accusation, it is not really a decision to investigate. They are required to investigate, and they have some duty, especially to children, to investigate on their behalf. The actual investigation is going to be determined initially by policies and procedures, but often the police are also involved and they will come in to investigate as well and they are going to do their due diligence. When an investigation of this sort takes place, it is important to work with an attorney to help deal with the sex crimes investigation in order to protect your rights.
Divisions Handling InvestigationsThe specific agencies that handle a Michigan sex crimes investigation are going to depend on where the investigation starts. At the companies, schools, and churches, there are various agencies that interplay with the police agencies. There are under various obligations to report these things so they need to make sure that everybody has got on board with all the information that they can give. Generally, it will eventually fall on the police.
The police usually have a sex crimes unit or at least a group of people in smaller towns that specifically deal with the sex crimes. Sometimes it might be a single person, but every police agency will have some units that are going to specify how to deal with rape cases and the collection of evidence in the Criminal Sexual Conduct. Because it is again highly specific, they are going to have extra training in how to collect and search for evidence and how to provide testimony so that they can try to obtain a conviction.
It generally falls on these agencies to do the most of the Michigan sex crimes investigations. There are also other groups that get involved later, the crime alleged victims' advocates are going to be there on behalf of the person. There can be various outside agencies such as a women shelter's that are there to support the individual as well and these people put pressure on the prosecution and, of course, the prosecutor is the one that makes the ultimate decision.
There is a lot of pressure put on them by the police agencies, by the various other reporting agencies, and then by the alleged victim's family and all these other agencies that can come in and put pressure on the prosecutor to fully prosecute these cases and they can really determine where the case will end up as well.
Other AgenciesThere are also sexual assault advocates that work out at various labs and at various hospitals, as well as women shelters that may be involved throughout the Michigan sex crimes investigation process. They are people that can also bring forth these cases, and who decides to investigate really depends on a variety of different factors, depending on who is actually making the charge.
Sometimes it could be a college campus. A lot of times, the police eventually get involved and the police usually have at least a group of people if not a specific unit for sex crimes. Then, there is a push to try to try to get as much evidence as possible with these various agencies.
Working with a Sex Crimes LawyerIt is important to understand exactly what information has been taken by agencies in a Michigan sex crimes investigation and how they interpret it. You want to know the science behind this type of law. You want to understand how DNA testing works, evidence testing works, and the various fluid testing that they have. You want to understand how witness statements work, what they say, and what they do not say. You really want to get a full picture before start making decisions.
A person needs an attorney who can understand, breakdown, and challenge all of the evidence that is coming in. If somebody does not understand what evidence is coming in, how it is going to apply, what it is going to mean, or how it is going to be interpreted, then they are doing themselves a disservice.