You have decided to speak with the prosecutor, Mary, on behalf of Maureen, the college student who was the victim of date rape. You want to convince Mary to support a change in the prosecutor's policy of not prosecuting date rape cases when drugs or alcohol are involved. Maureen decided not to speak to the media yet, hoping that you can persuade Mary and the chief prosecutor to change their policy. Maureen knows other young women are being attacked and that very often date rape drugs are being used.

Mary has agreed to meet with you and Maureen. Your goal will be twofold.

• Educate Mary about date rape using statistics and information about date rape and date rape drugs to show her that Maureen is one of the types of victims who perpetrators take advantage of in these situations.
• Explain why not prosecuting the cases is the wrong public and social policy. Of course, you are also hopeful that the victim, Maureen, also receives help in her case.

To organize your efforts before your meeting, create detailed outline in bullet form that contains the following information for the five topics:

• UCR/NCVS reported crime statistics relating to rape and the strengths and weakness of each type of reporting.
• Define the term date rape (or acquaintance rape-the terms are interchangeable) and how date rape (acquaintance rape) is distinguished from stranger rape, statutory rape, and spousal rape.
• The types and uses of date rape drugs.

The victim/offender relationship:

• how victims are viewed by perpetrators of date rape
• the special problems of date rape prosecutions
• how society and jurors may view date rape (blaming the victim based on the perceived precipitation, facilitation, or provocation of the victim)

5. What is your position on this issue, and what action do you think would impact this social policy?

In 4-5 paragraphs

The prosecutor's office has received an influx of new child neglect cases because the legislature, under the public pressure, just passed an added definition of child abuse and neglect. The public pressure was the result of several recently reported cases and the recent increase in mothers who neglect their children due to methamphetamine addiction. Using or possessing methamphetamine in the presence of a child is now defined as child abuse under the abuse and neglect code (not the criminal code) in the new law. Additionally, manufacturing methamphetamine in the presence of a child is now a felony. Because of these changes, law enforcement will be required to remove children and place them in foster care any time a child is found in this type of situation.

As the victim witness assistant, you have been assigned to a case that involves a 2-year-old girl who has been beaten by her mother's live-in boyfriend while the boyfriend was high on methamphetamine. The mother is afraid to leave the relationship because he has said he will kill them both if she tries to leave. There is evidence of a crude meth lab created and used by the boyfriend at the apartment where they live. There are two other children besides the girl, but they are older, 5 and 7 years old, and show no signs of physical abuse. Because of the evidence of the methamphetamine lab, the boyfriend will be arrested on a felony charge as soon as the arrest warrant is ready.

While there is no evidence that the mother has used methamphetamine, it is likely that the boyfriend will return to the home if he is able to make bond. The prosecutor asked you to recommend whether or not the mother should be petitioned on abuse and neglect charges and the children should be removed and put in foster care.

Respond to the following:

1. Recommend a course of action, and explain why that action should be taken; also respond to at least one other posting that takes the opposite view from yours.
2. Discuss whether or not you think the legislative intent of the new law is served if the mother is petitioned and the children are removed. Is the mother a victim in this situation? What options would you suggest for their safety if the mother is not petitioned?
3. Research a state of your choice:
4. Do similar laws exist on drug use (specifically methamphetamine) or drug possession in the presence of children?
5. Explain your perceptions and opinions about this policy's impact on the children as victims; does it have a positive effect on them as victims or a negative effect?
6. How would you go about impacting social policy by pressing for the adoption of a law like this in a state of your choice, or how you would impact social policy by advocating removal of such a law?