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Criminal Process

If you would like to report the incident to police and/or pursue criminal charges:


Contact the police in the municipality where the sexual violence (ie. sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, etc.) took place as they have jurisdiction to investigate. If you are unsure of the location, contact the police where you think the crime occurred.

If the assault occurred on College property, contact The College of New Jersey Police Department at 609-771-2345 or 911.

Although a patrol officer is generally the first to respond, a trained detective will do the investigation. Police, in order to investigate the crime, will interview the victim, collect evidence from the crime scene, receive the evidence obtained at the hospital, take a formal statement and protect the victim’s anonymity.

The victim is entitled to request the presence of a Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate during the interview. The victim has the right to have a Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate present during all medical and law enforcement procedures. If you would like to speak with an advocate or have an advocate present, contact Womanspace* at 609-394-0136.

The interview will usually focus on the events prior to the initial contact with the assailant, a detailed account of the behavior and words used by the victim and the assailant, a detailed account of the assault and a description of the assailant.

Prosecution


There are many steps that occur from the time a victim reports to the final outcome of a prosecution. If the criminal charge is pursued further, the police and/or an advocate can talk with you about next steps.

Sexual assault is a crime that is prosecuted by the state. The victim is assigned an attorney from the Prosecutor’s office in the county where the assault took place. This person is usually part of a special sex crimes unit.

Once the police finish their investigation, all evidence is turned over to the Prosecutor’s Office, where it is reviewed. The Sex Crimes Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office will then make decisions regarding the case.

The victim becomes a witness if the case moves forward.

The law also limits the admissible evidence concerning the victim’s prior sexual activity.

There are several levels of the prosecution process including issuance of a warrant, arrest, arraignment, grand jury, and the trial. Some steps require the victim’s presence in court.


If you have concerns or questions regarding this process, contact the Office of Title IX & Sexual Misconduct at 609.771.3112 or the Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives at 609.771.2272.

*Womanspace provides service to those of all gender identities.

For any questions or concerns, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Chelsea Jacoby, directly at jacobyc@tcnj.edu or (609) 771-3112.

Contact

The Office of Title IX & Sexual Misconduct
Brower Student Center, Room 202
The College of New Jersey
P.O. Box 7718
2000 Pennington Rd.
Ewing, NJ 08628

Office Staff