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Report | March 24, 2015

Evaluation of Military Criminal Investigative Organizations' Adult Sexual Assault Investigations DODIG-2015-094

Objective

We evaluated 536 Military Criminal Investigative Organization (MCIO) investigations of sexual assaults with adult victims opened on or after January 1, 2012, and completed in 2013 to determine whether the MCIOs completed investigations as required by DoD, Military Service, and MCIO guidance.

Finding

  • A total of 532 of 536 MCIO investigations (99 percent) met investigative standards. This reflects a 10-percent improvement compared to findings in our previous evaluation of MCIO adult sexual assault investigations, as reported in DODIG-2013-091.
  • We returned 4 of 536 cases (1 percent) with significant deficiencies to the MCIOs for corrective action. This reflects an improvement from 56 of 501 cases (11 percent) returned in our previous evaluation, as reported in DODIG-2013-091.
  • A total of 318 of the 536 cases had no deficiencies, and 85 cases had minor investigative deficiencies that did not impact the outcome of the investigation. The remaining 129 cases had only administrative deficiencies.
  • The deficiencies included instances in which:
    • physical evidence was not collected;
    • crime scenes were not examined or validated;
    • the DD Form 2701, “Initial Information for Victims  and Witnesses of Crime,” was either not issued to victims or the issuance was not documented; and
  • the sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) was either not notified or the notification was     not documented.

Recommendations

  • The Director and Commanders of the MCIOs enhance supervision and training to highlight the critical role physical evidence has in sexual assault investigations.
  • The Director, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Commander, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, enhance supervision regarding responses to crime scenes as required by revised policy.
  • The Commanders of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations implement measures to improve the issuance and/or recording of the issuance of the DD Form 2701 and implement measures to improve the notification and/or recording of the notification of the SARC.

Management Comments

The MCIOs concurred with our recommendations and management comments were responsive.

This report is a result of Project No. 2013C028.