Sec. 18.68.020. Sexual assault investigations protocols.

267 words·~1 min read·/ak/title-18/chapter-68/18-68-020

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)The Department of Public Safety and the Department of Law in conjunction with the Department of Health shall develop a manual of protocols governing the distribution and use of the sexual assault examination kit developed under AS 18.68.010 . The protocols must allow a victim who is 18 years of age or older and not a vulnerable adult to choose one of the following types of reports:

(1)a law enforcement report if the victim wants to obtain a medical forensic examination with evidence collection and, at the time of the medical forensic examination, chooses to participate in the criminal justice system; or

(2)an anonymous report if the victim wants to obtain a medical forensic examination with evidence collection but, at the time of the medical forensic examination, chooses not to have personal identifying information provided to law enforcement or to participate in the criminal justice system; the person who collects the evidence shall release the evidence to the appropriate law enforcement agency for preservation in accordance with AS 12.36.200 but may not provide personal identifying information of the victim to the law enforcement agency; the law enforcement agency shall assign a unique identifying number to the evidence, and the person who collects the evidence shall record the number and provide the number to the victim.

(b)The Department of Public Safety shall distribute copies of the protocol manual developed under this section to the appropriate peace officers and health care providers in the state.

(c)In this section, “vulnerable adult” has the meaning given in AS 47.24.900 .