{"id":78820,"date":"2023-11-21T22:12:40","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T22:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/11\/21\/special-victims-prosecutors-offices-to-be-operational-by-years-end\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:03:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:03:45","slug":"special-victims-prosecutors-offices-to-be-operational-by-years-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2023\/11\/21\/special-victims-prosecutors-offices-to-be-operational-by-years-end\/","title":{"rendered":"Special victims prosecutors offices to be operational by year\u2019s end"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A decade after a New York senator<\/a> first started pushing to take sexual assault prosecutions out of the hands of commanders, the services are taking the final steps to make it a reality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They each have until the end of the year to make their special victims prosecutor offices fully operational and are on track to make that deadline, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks<\/a> told Military Times on Tuesday, during an event for the Project on Media and National Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce it\u2019s the 29th of December … anything that happens after that point, they will have that independent oversight of, so we\u2019ve ensured they\u2019re ready to go,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The offices will also oversee several other major crimes, including domestic violence, child abuse, murder and manslaughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move is the centerpiece of more than 80 recommendations<\/a> made in 2021 by a congressionally-mandated independent review commission on sexual assault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though opponents have long argued that commanders have to be ultimately responsible for good order and discipline in their units, there has long been a perception that commanders have too much power to sweep crimes under the rug \u2015 either to protect favored troops or to protect the unit\u2019s, and therefore their own, reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The committee concluded that taking decisions out of commanders\u2019 hands could at least restore trust in the military justice process, and at best, improve case outcomes where there is enough evidence to prosecute.<\/p>\n\n\n