{"id":13953,"date":"2022-07-18T19:40:38","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T19:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/07\/18\/army-establishes-independent-prosecutor-office-misconduct-amnesty-policy\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:33:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:33:08","slug":"army-establishes-independent-prosecutor-office-misconduct-amnesty-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2022\/07\/18\/army-establishes-independent-prosecutor-office-misconduct-amnesty-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Army establishes independent prosecutor office, misconduct amnesty policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Army last week unveiled two new steps in its effort to revamp how it responds to sexual harassment and assault in the ranks, bringing the service closer to compliance with congressionally mandated reform targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As required by the annual defense bill for 2022, the Army officially established an independent prosecutor\u2019s office, reporting to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, according to a general order made public<\/a> Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army also announced it had implemented a \u201csafe-to-report\u201d policy, which shields sexual assault victims from discipline for minor misconduct \u2014 such as underage drinking \u2014 that may emerge as part of an investigation into the assault. Congress mandated the services adopt such policies in the fiscal 2021 defense bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the Army\u2019s senior civilians overseeing reforms to its troubled Sexual Assault\/Harassment Response and Prevention program, known as SHARP, indicated that more changes will come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe continue to look for ways to improve the Army\u2019s Sexual Harassment\/Assault Response and Prevention program,\u201d said Dr. James A. Helis, who leads the Army Resilience Directorate. \u201cThis directive helps reduce the stigma associated with reporting, so offenders can be held accountable for their actions and victims can get the support they need to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mandated reforms come two months after a government watchdog called out SHARP policy as \u201cdisjointed [and] unclear.\u201d Long-promised centralized guidance documents were still missing nearly two years after the reports of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee and the Defense Department\u2019s Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military.<\/p>\n\n\n\t