Nov. 18, 2019
And that’s a wrap.
The 2019 Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Assembly of Cities Conference concluded its three-day agenda Friday afternoon at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. More than 250 local and national law enforcement members, prosecutors, forensic nurses, and advocates devoted to stopping sexual violence attended.
This year’s theme was “DNA: Timeless Evidence” and a multitude of speakers and sessions focused on advances in DNA, genetic genealogy, cold case investigative techniques, coupled with the media prospective and public concerns. Attendees learned about improvements in detecting offenders, analyzing evidence, and prosecuting perpetrators.
“We worked diligently with our law enforcement and community partners to put together a conference that would both inspire and educate those who work in this challenging field,” said Adair Newman, Special Victims Unit director for the State Attorney’s Office. “Early feedback and response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Speakers for the event included Yvonne Pointer, who lost her daughter, Gloria, to sexual violence in 1984; Kristen Gibbons-Feden, the prosecutor in the Commonwealth v. Cosby case; and sexual assault survivors Trisha Meili and Julie Weil.
For more information on the conference, visit www.2019aoc.com.