Bill Overview
Title: SANE Act
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and otherwise revises the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam Program. This program provides grants for training, technical assistance, education, equipment, and information relating to the identification, collection, preservation, analysis, and use of DNA samples and other evidence by medical personnel and other professionals treating victims of sexual assault. Among other changes, the bill (1) expands the types of entities that are eligible to receive a grant under the program; (2) expands the allowable uses of these grants, including to provide full- and part-time salaries for sexual assault nurse examiners and sexual assault forensic examiners; and (3) requires the Department of Justice to establish and update annually a public website on access to forensic nurse examiners.
Sponsors: Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14]
Target Audience
Population: Victims of sexual assault
Estimated Size: 42900000
- The bill targets the improvement of services related to sexual assault forensic examination, which directly impacts victims of sexual assault by potentially improving the quality and accessibility of forensic services available to them.
- The availability of better training and more resources for medical personnel could indirectly improve the quality of care for all sexual assault victims worldwide.
- Sexual assault can affect individuals of any gender or age, making the target population quite broad and inclusive.
- Estimates suggest that around 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime (World Health Organization), but this figure doesn't account for non-binary or male victims, or those not reporting violence.
- The improvements in forensic examinations could also aid in more effective legal proceedings, potentially impacting legal outcomes for victims and perpetrators alike.
Reasoning
- The budget constraint of $400,000,000 over 10 years suggests that the policy will need to target resources effectively, prioritizing areas with the highest incidence of sexual assault where forensic examination services are underfunded or unavailable.
- The policy's impact will vary based on geographical location. Urban areas may already have better access to sexual assault forensic services, whereas rural areas might see a greater relative improvement.
- Sexual assault affects a significant portion of the population, including all genders and ages, but the policy will be most directly relevant to those who are victims or potential victims of violence and assault, or those in professions dealing with such incidents.
- The policy may indirectly impact community wellbeing by potentially reducing crime if more effective legal proceedings deter future assaults, but it is primarily designed to improve support systems post-assault.
- Not everyone in the broader community of victims will immediately feel the impact of this policy; some may remain unaffected due to personal circumstances or regional disparities in policy rollout.
Simulated Interviews
Social Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think expanding access to trained forensic examiners is absolutely crucial.
- This policy could mean faster and more accurate examinations, which could help in securing justice for victims.
- However, I am cautious about how quickly and evenly these changes will be implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Police Officer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The additional training and resources are definitely needed to improve evidence collection.
- I hope this will streamline the process and lead to more successful prosecutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Nurse (Austin, TX)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe increasing access to trained examiners is going to make a significant difference.
- More awareness and proper funding for forensic exam programs are long overdue.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired Teacher (Rural Kansas)
Age: 57 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Rural areas often lack access to such essential services, so this policy could really help here.
- However, I'm concerned about how much attention will actually reach smaller communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Public Defender (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better resource allocation and training could mean clearer, more reliable evidence.
- The policy may also help in identifying and rectifying false convictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
College Student (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Direct access to better forensic examination services would have helped immensely in my case.
- I hope this policy makes those resources more readily available for others in similar situations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Hospital Administrator (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should help us address our staffing gaps and improve response times.
- Sustainability will depend on consistent funding and support beyond initial grants.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Sexual Health Educator (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The improved access to forensic examiners could bring more awareness to students.
- Education and resources must go hand-in-hand with improvements like these.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Judge (Baton Rouge, LA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems promising in helping to provide clearer, more reliable evidence in cases before me.
- It’s crucial that this also ties into better procedural training for legal staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Victim Advocate (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better training and increased staffing will absolutely improve the support we offer to victims.
- This policy is a much-needed step forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Year 2: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Year 3: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Year 5: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Year 100: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $45000000)
Key Considerations
- The program targets a sensitive and critical justice sector, which can garner public and political support, potentially influencing future budget allocations.
- There's a need to balance costs with the anticipated societal benefits, including justice delivery improvements and victim support infrastructure.
- Potential state and local government partnerships for funding and implementing aspects of the grant program could affect overall federal costs.