Washington § 43.101.273 - Sexual assault — Training for persons prosecuting.

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall, in partnership with the special resource prosecutor under RCW 43.101.279, develop and conduct specialized, intensive, and integrative training for persons responsible for prosecuting sexual assault cases involving adult and minor victims.

(2) The training must:

(a) Use a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to prosecuting sexual assaults including, but not limited to, the following goals: Recognizing the nature and consequences of victimization; prioritizing the safety and well-being of victims; and recognizing the needs of special populations;

(b) Include content on the neurobiology of trauma and trauma-informed interviewing, counseling, investigative, and prosecution techniques;

(c) Offer participants an opportunity to practice interview and trial skills, including receiving feedback from instructors;

(d) Share best practices for communicating with victims throughout the criminal justice process;

(e) Include additional content relevant to and informed by best practices for improving outcomes in sexual assault prosecutions, as deemed appropriate by the commission;

(f) Take into account the training under RCW 43.101.272 in order to provide consistent and complementary training for investigators and prosecutors;

(g) Be designed to qualify for some continuing legal education credits through the Washington state bar association; and

(h) Be offered at least once per calendar year and be deployed in different locations across the state, or through some other broadly accessible means, in order to improve access to the training for prosecutors serving in small offices or rural areas.

Effective date—2025 c 125: See note following RCW 43.101.270.