If you need assistance contact your local police department or the YWCA 24/Hour Domestic Violence Hotline: (518) 347-3386
Special Victims
The Special Victims Unit is a specialized unit responsible for prosecuting felony level crimes for domestic/intimate partner violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation. The SVU strives to prosecute those cases in a victim focused manner that empowers and avoids retraumatizing survivors and children, while at the same time holding offenders accountable for crimes against domestic/intimate partners and vulnerable populations. The perpetrators of crimes against the elderly population in our community is also prosecuted by the SVU. Cases of physical injury against the elderly are handled in the SVU and are coordinated with ADAs in the financial crimes area where appropriate to prosecute the complete picture of the crimes occurring to this type of victim.
Animal Cruelty
In addition to the SVU’s primary responsibility, the SVU prosecutes all cases of animal cruelty that occur within Schenectady County.
Integrated Domestic Violence Court
The SVU staffs the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Supreme Court. This court is a hybrid format, combining Family Court matters with Criminal Court matters that are pending at the same time to one forum to achieve an integrated and complete resolution of all the related items.
Unit
The SVU is led by a Bureau Chief and has several Assistant DAs as well as a dedicated Victim’s Advocate Specialist.
