It Happens Every Day: Inside the World of a Sex Crimes DA

In this informative but uneven examination of sex crimes against children, former L.A. County Dep. DA Sax traces the prosecution of this “social epidemic” from identifying the perpetrator to securing a conviction. The statistics Sax presents are sobering: for instance, 67% of reported sexual assault victims are children. Sax outlines her role as prosecutor and, most importantly, how this role is incorporated into the “team approach,” with information shared among police, prosecutor, medical professionals and the victim's advocate. She also challenges popular beliefs regarding sexual assault, especially parents' fears that the biggest danger comes from strangers: 93% of sexual assaults on children are committed by someone the victim knows. Though her passion for her work is undeniable, Sax is unable to maintain a steady tone, too often straying from astute legal analysis (differentiating the law's view of adult versus child sexual assault, for example) into personal views. But despite the often slipshod organization, the issues Sax raises with the criminal justice system's handling of these cases and the solutions she proposes require attention. (Oct.)