Sex crimes are treated incredibly severely in Fulton County and as a result investigations for these offenses tend to be both intensive and complex, with many factors playing a part in an individual’s case. Due to the intense nature of such a crime, and the importance that an investigation can have, it is crucial that anyone accused hires an experienced sex crimes attorney in Fulton County immediately. A knowledgeable lawyer will best be able to manage your case and aid in securing a positive outcome.
Investigative ProcessFulton County sex crime investigations generally take place first with an outcry from an alleged victim or a person who claims that this incident happened to them. In many situations like schools, a physician’s or psychiatrist’s office, or psychological counseling places, an outcry is made that an incident occurred. They are obligated to turn it over to the Division of Family and Children Services (DFACS) unit for an investigation. Quite often, that becomes a criminal investigation for which a person may or may not be charged.
Most police departments have someone who is trained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or the FBI to investigate sex crimes. They are trained to discuss cases with alleged victims, and to look for certain traits or certain types of behaviors that are common with somebody who might commit one of these offenses. Sex crimes generally take place between people who know each other. It is a common belief based upon watching the news that there are people outside of this person’s world or community who might commit this offense. However, the majority of all sex crimes are committed between people who know one another.
Steps an Attorney can TakeA good attorney can often initiate a Fulton County sex crime investigation immediately in these cases. They can speak with the detectives and the investigators, and try to stop any charges from being filed. It is important to get a hold of this early because in many cases, a lawyer is able to bring evidence to light that the investigators did not have. If they are successful, it is possible that no charges are filed.
Responding to an InvestigationIn most sex crime cases, there must be a sex crimes investigation by the police in Fulton County. Generally, a person is investigated based upon a report from somebody who claims that an incident happened to them. It could be a child who claims that someone touched them inappropriately, or a person who claims they were raped. A physician or a school teacher may hear someone making statements about inappropriate things that happened to them. As a result, an experienced lawyer digs into the facts, finds out exactly what took place, determines if there is a motive for false accusations, and has an investigator or an officer working on these cases immediately. Sex crime cases need to be investigated as soon as possible after the original report.
An experienced lawyer can delve into reasons as to why someone might make a claim, and start dealing with the police officers and the forensic investigation. An alleged victim of assault is often questioned by a counselor from a sexual crimes or a sexual assault unit. It is important to have someone who understands how these interviews take place, to understand specifically what the police are looking for, and to understand how these interviews can be very misleading. Very often, the interview can lead a person to say things they really did not mean. A good defense lawyer can pick apart the manner in which the interview was conducted.
U-Visa CasesSometimes an alleged victim claims that they were the one harmed to retaliate against a person for a divorce or child custody issues. In addition, under immigration laws, if an individual is an alleged victim of an assault or sexual assault, they may cooperate in terms of the investigation which allows them a U-Visa. If an individual gets a U-Visa, they are immediately moved to the front of the line or granted a status. Not just the individual, but their family, spouse, and/or their parents move to the front of the line and are granted their status. Quite often with any immigrant community in Atlanta, there may be false claims made in order to get better treatment from the immigration officials. This will most often be fully processed through a thorough Fulton County sex crimes investigation.