The U.S. military has made a significant decision to entrust independent lawyers with the responsibility of overseeing the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sexual assault and other serious crimes, effectively sidelining commanders. This move comes after years of pressure from Congress, as reported by Lolita C. Baldor for the Associated Press. The change was prompted by concerns raised by members of Congress who believed that commanders often failed to take victims’ complaints seriously or protected alleged perpetrators within their units. While the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy witnessed an increase in reported sexual assaults last year, a notable 9 percent decrease in reports from the Army, the largest military service, contributed to an overall decline. In 2021, reported assaults saw a 13 percent increase. As per the new law, special counsels will now have the authority to make prosecution decisions for various major crimes, including murder, rape, sexual assault-related offenses, kidnapping, domestic violence, child sexual abuse imagery production or possession, stalking, and retaliation. It is anticipated that each trial counsel will handle up to 50 investigations and approximately eight to 12 trials annually.
