Investigation of Sex Crimes in Manassas
In Manassas, any kind of sex crime is going to be prosecuted very harshly. In addition, the consequences of even being charged with a sex crime, much less convicted, are going to have long-term effects on someone’s life. Some of these consequences include negatively impacting a person’s current and future ability to find and retain employment, their housing situation, and even general acceptance within their community. Therefore, someone who finds themselves under investigation for a sex crime should immediately contact a Manassas lawyer. This might mitigate any consequences that could arise in a future trial.
Every sex crime case requires a thorough investigation, so no one particular sex crime warrants more investigation than another. Certain allegations might have more evidence that might be available to the police to investigate, but every case requires a full investigation. The police should not act on any allegation until they have fully investigated all of the facts and collected all of the evidence available for that charge.
How Sex Crimes are Investigated in Manassas
Sex crimes are investigated once a complaining witness comes forward. Once that occurs, the police or some other investigative authority will begin investigating the case. The first step in any Manassas sex crime investigation will always be talking to the alleged victim and finding out what the victim is saying happened to him or her. Shortly thereafter, the government will usually seek to talk to the person who has been accused of committing the offense.
Investigations are common. They happen in every case. It is virtually unheard of for the police to simply arrest a person based upon a simple allegation without asking at least some questions or determining if the story can be corroborated. They will investigate, try to get statements, and try to collect physical evidence. If they failed to take those steps, any prosecution that would follow the arrest would be in great peril. This is also why it is important to retain the services of an experienced sex crimes lawyer. An attorney devoted to defending sex crimes will be able to anticipate the tactics of the prosecution and construct a solid defense based on Virginia laws and the evidence presented in the trial.
In some cases, physical pieces of evidence are acquired by the government. In cases that involve rape or sodomy, there is often physical evidence to be collected directly from the victim. All of these pieces are part of a larger investigation.
Agencies That Handle Investigations
In almost every case, the investigation will be conducted by the local police in the jurisdiction where the crime has alleged to have been committed. Generally speaking, the lead investigator will be a detective with that unit.
When a person comes forward with a complaint that involves the alleged commission of a sex crime, the initial investigating authority will be the detective who first draws the case. Once that detective draws the case, that person will make the determination of whether or not the complaint is worthy of an investigation.
In some cases, that person will farm out the investigation to another investigative body. It depends on jurisdiction and other factors, but the initial decision is usually made by a detective who is assigned to the case based upon a person’s initial complaint.
Types of Evidence
The evidence sought in a Manassas sex crime investigation can range from testimonial to physical. It depends upon the nature of the allegations that have been made. Without knowing specifically what the allegation are, it is difficult to comment on exactly what evidence is being looking for, but they’re going to be looking for any evidence that might corroborate the alleged victim’s story. Tools or tactics used are simply detectives or other investigators talking to the parties who are alleged to have been involved and getting their sides of the story.
Reasons to Hire a Manassas Sex Crimes Attorney
In almost all cases involving sex crimes, the best evidence that the government has against a person comes straight from the person’s own mouth. This is because people think that they are able to explain away whatever it is that is alleged to have occurred. Unfortunately for these people, that is almost never the case.
In cases where the police are trying to talk to the person about an allegation that involves a sex crime, they are trying to help bolster any future prosecution. It would be foolish for any person, no matter how innocent, to talk to the police under those circumstances. The police are not trying to just clear it up and make sure that nothing bad happens. They are looking to get evidence against that person, and anything that the person says can and will be used against them in court.
If a person hires an experienced attorney when they find out that they are being investigated, that attorney can shut down questioning and make it much more difficult for the government to prove their case.
