From Publishers Weekly Since 1976, as chief of New York City's Sex Crime Prosecution Unit, Fairstein has not only prosecuted rapists mercilessly but helped to "remove the veil of secrecy" from the crime of rape. This she defines as "a crime of violence with sex as the weapon," now extended to include "date and acquaintance rape." To encourage formerly stigmatized rape victims to come forward, the author focuses on episodes of a serial "Midtown Rapist" and the arduous, skillful tracking that led to his trial and long prison sentence. She notes an improved rate of convictions, due in part to a Special Victims squad, DNA identification and changes in laws governing rape cases that also reflect greater sensitivity toward victims. These include outlawing evidence based on a victim's past sexual activity, mandating secret grand jury hearings without the presence of the defendant and allowing a rape victim to testify without corroboration. The reader will find this an absorbing memoir despite its occasional grimness. Major ad/promo; first serial to Glamour and Cosmopolitan. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal This recounting of Fairstein's 20 years as a sex crimes prosecutor in New York City's District Attorney's office stands as a companion work to Alice Vachss's Sex Crimes ( LJ 5/15/93). While Vachss describes the evolution of the laws and attitudes toward sex crimes and reflects on society's historically unyielding attitude toward victims, Fairstein is concerned primarily with the ways the courts and the criminal justice system view sex crimes today. Her book can be seen as a procedural text on how properly to investigate and prosecute a sex crime--how to sort out myths from reality; how to draw out the complete truth from victims; and how to ensure that sex criminals are properly tried. Recommended for libraries with in-depth collections on crime and the administration of justice. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/93.
