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Foreword by Noted Los Angeles Defense Attorney Mark Geragos

According to crime statistics from the Department of Justice, 67 percent of sexual assault victims in 2008 were juveniles and an astonishing 93 percent of these victims knew their attackers. This is not news to veteran prosecutor Robin Sax. When she worked as a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County specializing in sex crimes against children, she personally reviewed at least five new cases every day. In this county alone, there are some sixty prosecutors, all of whom deal with a similar caseload.

What really happens when law enforcement decides to prosecute a child sexual assault case? In this revealing, informative, and disturbing book, Sax shows readers how the real criminal justice system works, in terms you rarely hear about on the news. She candidly assesses what's right about the system and what needs to be changed. Her hope is that, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of our current judicial system, we'll all be in a better position to protect our children.
Dividing the work into two parts, she begins with "Behind the One-Way Mirror," which deals with the investigation portion of child sexual assault. She defines exactly what constitutes sexual assault and then presents the ingredients of what makes a case "fileable." She also explains why some cases never get filed.

In the second part, "Behind the Counsel Table," Sax sheds light on the whole court process. She discusses a range of issues, including mandatory sentencing, plea bargains, unsupportive parents, using children's testimony to prosecute the perpetrator, DNA evidence, the importance of corroboration, and the weaknesses of the jury system.

This gritty, in-depth discussion from an insider on the front lines of law enforcement's campaign against child sexual assault makes an important contribution toward protecting society's most vulnerable citizens from a crime that is reaching near-epidemic proportions....

robinsax.com

Predators and Child Molesters by Robin Sax is the first book to be awarded Amber Alert Book of the Year Award.

There is no crime not even murder that worries and sickens parents more than child sexual abuse. Parents wonder how to protect their children when almost every day the news reports another incident of someone in authority arrested on suspicion of child abuse from clergy and teachers to family members themselves. Even law enforcement has had trouble defining the problem and only recently has the Department of Justice begun recording statistics of sexual assault against children. Amid the confusion generated by sensational news reports and uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of child sexual abuse, what can parents do?

In this straightforward, clearly written guidebook, veteran sex-crimes prosecutor and Los Angeles deputy district attorney Robin Sax answers one hundred questions that she has most often encountered in her fifteen years of experience. From the definition of abuse to the profiles of a predator to how to report an incident and to whom, Sax provides practical, reassuring, and appropriate information.

For ease of use, the book is organized into six major sections:

-Recognizing predators: molesters, pedophiles, and opportunists

-Talking to kids about risks and identifying potential problems

-Recognizing abuse

-Reporting sexual abuse

-Going to court

-Healing and moving on

Sax makes it clear that protecting children begins with every parent in the home. Parents must view protecting children from the potential of sexual assault as a priority. Teaching children preventive measures should be viewed as important as teaching kids how to dial 9-1-1.

Sax concludes by emphasizing that the best defense against sexual offenders is information. Her book provides realistic answers to empower parents and educators, even in the face of one of life's scariest threats....

Learning About Crime Pays.

Most people watch television shows such as Law and Order and see a simplified version of the world of cops and courtrooms. In fact, the American criminal justice system is one of the most complex legal establishments in the world. The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the Criminal Justice System de- mystifies the complexity of the judicial establishment and the bureaucracy behind it in a clear, jargon-free and detailed portrait so that any citizen can understand how it works.

•Public is highly interested in criminal investigations and trials

•Also a useful resource for people planning to enter these fields

•Includes detailed glossary of legal terms

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