This grant seeks funding to continue to improve the saki model in new orleans

The Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office (DA's Office) received a $2,500,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance's National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program. The grant will fund the DA's Office efforts to continue improving the SAKI model in New Orleans, including screening and prosecuting cold case and DNA database hit sexual assault cases, entering cases into the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), and supporting victim services such as bringing victims to New Orleans for trial and perpetuating testimony for ill victims and witnesses. The grant will also support the implementation of rapid DNA testing at the Orleans Criminal Justice Center, which is expected to increase the number of DNA hit cases the SAKI unit can address. This 3-year award, effective October 1, 2023, will allow the DA's Office to enhance its vertical prosecution of complex sexual assault cases with multiple victims and defendants with extensive criminal histories.

Although new orleans has made strides in policy and practice, the orleans parish district attorneys office (OPDA) needs further support to continue and build upon the current program and vertical prosecution unit (VPU). Most of the cases reviewed by the OPDA saki unit have multiple victims and charges associated with them. Many defendants prosecuted by OPDA saki have extensive criminal histories that require intensive investigation, resulting in the state interviewing and producing multiple victims of and witnesses to additional crimes by the defendant before and during a trial. The orleans parish district attorneys office and the new orleans city council have also worked to implement rapid DNA testing at the orleans criminal justice center, the citys only jail. This rapid testing will mean faster responses from codis and expedited ability to address cases. OPDA saki is preparing for this implementation because IT will increase the number of DNA HIT cases found. The funds from saki purpose area 4 will be used to screen and prosecute cold case and codis HIT sexual assault cases, entering all criteria cases into vicap. OPDA intends to create a vicap lead position within the saki unit who is tasked with ensuring that all criteria cases are entered in a timely manner. Funds will also be used to bring victims to new orleans for trial and, on occasion, take staff to victims and witnesses for interviews in their locations. This will allow the saki unit to establish important relationships with victims and witnesses being asked to relive traumatic events from many years ago. Similarly, OPDA saki is also requesting funds to perpetuate testimony for ILL victims and witnesses who may be unable to attend trial later.