Safety in the Field
June 14th, 2:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m
Lord Baltimore Hotel Salon E
This session will discuss basic safety protocols and tips for sentencing advocates, mitigation specialists, and investigators who conduct interviews in the homes of clients and witnesses. We will cover steps an investigator should take before entering the field to maximize the likelihood of a safe and successful outcome, and review best practices for safety at a field location. We will also discuss safety when conducting an interview in a correctional facility.
Participants will learn how to conduct research before engaging in fieldwork to identify potential safety concerns and take action to mitigate risks. Participants will leave this session feeling more empowered and confident when working in the field.
Sarah Forte
Investigator and Paralegal
Southern Center for Human Rights
Sarah Forte is the senior investigator at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia. She joined SCHR in June 2006 upon graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism where she worked for the Medill Innocence Project investigating possible wrongful murder convictions and other miscarriages of justice. At SCHR, Sarah investigates death penalty cases at the trial level and in post-conviction proceedings. Sarah has been on the faculty of numerous national trainings for public defenders and other legal professionals engaged in criminal defense work. In July 2015, Sarah became a member of the Executive Committee of the National Alliance of Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialists.