Special Victims Unit
Encyclopedia
- For the television series, see Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
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The Special Victims Unit (SVU) is the name of a specialized division within some police departments. The detectives in this division typically investigate crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
s involving sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, the very young, or the very elderly, as well as any crime loosely connected with any of the three.
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
Special Victims Unit investigates sex crimes. It is housed in separate Borough Patrols (i.e. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens). In addition to the different name, the Special Victims Squad only investigates the following types of cases:
- Any child under 13 years of age who is the victim of any sex crime or attempted sex crime
- Any child under 11 years of age who is the victim of abuse by a parent or person legally responsible for the care of the child
- Any victim of rape (all degrees) or attempted rape (all degrees)
- Any victim of Criminal Sexual Act (all degrees) or Attempted Criminal Sexual Act (all degrees)
- Victims of Aggravated Sexual Abuse (all degrees)
- Victims of Sexual Abuse 1st Degree
The Special Victims Unit does not investigate any murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
or child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
cases. Murders and robberies are investigated by precinct detective squads. If a sex crime is involved, the Special Victims Squad may assist in the investigation. Child pornography is investigated by the NYPD Vice Enforcement Sexual Exploitation of Children Unit.
In popular culture
The television show Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
, the first spin-off in the Law & Order franchise
Law & Order (franchise)
The Law & Order franchise is a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and originally broadcast on NBC, all of which deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system...
, follows the cases of a fictional NYPD SVU division.
See also
- RapeRapeRape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
- Laws regarding rape
- Rape shield lawRape shield lawA rape shield law is a law that limits a defendant's ability to cross-examine rape complainants about their past sexual behaviour. The term also refers to a law that prohibits the publication of the identity of an alleged rape victim.-In Canada:...
(shields rape victims from scrutiny) - Serial rapist
- Major Case SquadMajor case squadThe Major Case Squad is a division within some police departments. The detectives of these divisions typically investigate crimes beyond the scope of normal squads. These functions vary from department to department.-New York City Police Department:...
- Cold case (criminology)
- Missing Persons UnitMissing personA missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....