1st Edition

Effective Child Abuse Investigation for the Multi-Disciplinary Team

By Bradley Richard Graham Copyright 2015
    130 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    132 Pages
    by Routledge

    Child abuse cases are unique in that they involve seldomly witnessed acts. A nonverbal victim and a silent perpetrator will often lead to a stalling of the investigation and the judicial process. Effective Child Abuse Investigation for the Multi-Disciplinary Team is a practical guide for law enforcement officers and child protection workers in abuse investigations. It demonstrates how all members of the team can best work together to consolidate the medical, social, and legal facts in each case, increasing the chances for successful prosecution and enhancing child safety.

    Presenting the insight of an investigator with more than two decades of experience, this book guides investigators in the best practices of abuse investigations through a better understanding of the dynamics of abuse, the mechanisms of injury, and the efficient use of professional expertise.

    Topics include:

    • Forming an investigative plan
    • Differentiating between accidental and abusive injury
    • Triggers for abuse most often cited by perpetrators
    • Common defenses, including religious or constitutional justification for punishment
    • Legal and social factors associated with taking a child into protective custody
    • Preparing for civil and criminal trial

    Additional topics include the danger of investigative bias, female sex offenders, child development, and basic medical terminology associated with abusive head trauma. Appendices include questions to be asked in all cases, a pediatric investigation checklist for first responders, and an investigative timeline checklist.

    Suitable for any law enforcement training environment, the book demonstrates how working together with the collective knowledge of all members of the team can ensure maltreated children are protected and abusers held accountable for their actions.

    Introduction
    Investigative Plan

    Allegation and Disclosure
    Suspect Information
    Child Forensic Interview
    Medical Evaluation
    Multi-disciplinary Response
    The Nonoffending Parent as a Witness
    Other Witnesses
    Crime Scene
    Accelerated Timeline for Suspect Contact
    Accidental versus Nonaccidental Trauma
    Fractures
    Sentinel Bruising
    Biting
    Fall Injuries and Abusive Head Trauma
    Assessment
    Abusive Head Trauma
    Timeline of AHT/SBS
    Triggers for Abuse
    Crying
    Behaviors
    Economic Stressors
    Common Defenses
    Osteogenesis Imperfecta
    Fractures from Birth
    Violent Coughing
    Corporal Punishment
    Religion and Child Abuse
    Protective Custody
    Probable Cause
    Imminent Danger
    Multiple Siblings
    Administrative Issues
    Investigative Bias
    Female Sex Offenders
    Media Bias
    Investigative and Judicial Bias
    Older Victims
    Investigative Considerations
    Multi-disciplinary Teams
    Best Practices
    Child Advocacy Centers
    Case Review
    Outside Agency Investigations
    Information Sharing
    Trial Testimony
    Investigative Process
    Professional Background
    Presentation
    Debrief
    Child Development
    Sexual Development
    Sexual Play
    Physical Development
    Terminology
    Head
    Fractures
    Medical Terms
    Plausible versus Actual
    References
    Appendix A: Question Sets
    Medical Questions
    Caretaker Questions
    Appendix B: Pediatric Abuse Investigation Checklist
    for First Responders

    Appendix C: Investigative Timeline Checklist
    Index

    Biography

    Bradley Richard Graham