BALTIMORE (AP) — Some lawmakers in Maryland want to ban the practice of offering sexual assault victims a waiver that says they don't want to go forward their case.
The Baltimore Sun reported Monday that some lawmakers want to do away with the waivers so that victims aren’t discouraged to report and prosecute the crimes.
Experts say that investigators sometimes misuse waiver forms to pressure victims to stop pursuing charges or to get cases off their plate without a thorough investigation.
Some police departments have recently stopped the practice.
Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties stopped using the forms amid a Baltimore Sun investigation of the waivers last year.
