Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 09/27/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVES REQUEST
FOR CHILD ABUSE PROSECUTOR

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new Deputy District Attorney position for his office. This prosecutor will be assigned to the Special Victims Unit, which is responsible for cases involving statutory rape, adult sexual assault, domestic violence, and elder abuse, as well as child sexual and physical abuse.

"These additional funds will allow us to expand our Special Victim Unit and to provide better protection for our most vulnerable victims–our children," said District Attorney Passalacqua.
The District Attorney currently receives funding through OES for a statutory rape vertical prosecution program.

The $155,655 funding for this position is provided through the Vertical Prosecution Program administered by the State of California Office of Emergency Services (OES). Pending final approval of funding by OES, the newly authorized position will focus on child sexual and physical abuse cases, thus allowing an attorney to develop expertise in this particular area, and allow for these cases to be vertically prosecuted by the same attorney each time. The vertical prosecution concept allows for close contact with victims to support them and alleviate their fears of involvement in the Criminal Justice system.