The task of ensuring safety, justice, and healing as it relates to sexual violence is daunting. A team’s success rests on its ability to build on a sexual assault response team’s (SART’s) success in responding to victims/survivors through a case review process with an eye toward continual improvement.

This workbook is a step-by-step guide that leads SARTs through the Sexual Violence Justice Institute (SVJI) at the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) process of reviewing case files based on the criminal legal system. In this workbook, you will find an effective process for identifying areas where your SART successfully responds to victims/survivors and areas where your SART can improve. Each member of the team will learn specific information about how they can further develop or sustain their response to be the most victim/survivor-centered. Throughout the case file review process, SARTs learn about their actual criminal/legal response to victims/survivors versus what they believe is happening during the response. The workbook provides insights into how to make connections that help improve the criminal legal response for victims/survivors and agencies while also helping teams discover lots of opportunities and best practices to explore. Case file review can provide evidence to support necessary changes in policy and practice.