Based on practical experience and research, the training was conducted by medical, legal, mental health, and law enforcement professionals. They explained the substantive and procedural issues that child abuse prosecutors must address. The seminar aimed to enable prosecutors to understand the dynamics and indicators of child physical and sexual abuse, be able to manage and evaluate child abuse investigations, know how to respond to the most common problems presented by child abuse litigation, be prepared to try felony child abuse cases, and take advantage of a national multidisciplinary network of experts. Topics also included medical evidence of child physical abuse and homicide, physical examinations in cases of child sexual abuse, case scenarios that exemplify common fact patterns, the special problems of urban and rural prosecutors, techniques for supporting and preparing child witnesses, and interviewing techniques for child witnesses. Other topics included stress management, the use of expert witnesses, search warrants, the role of the district attorney in multiple-victim cases, pretrial motions, hearsay and other out-of-court statements, investigation and prosecution of child neglect and child abandonment, prosecuting the juvenile sex offender, prosecutorial ethics, plea negotiations, and the assessment and treatment of sex offenders.
Basic Training for Child Abuse Prosecutors, Parts 1 and 2
NCJ Number
160820
Date Published
1990
Length
600 pages
Annotation
These volumes present background information and resource materials from a 5-day training conference designed to prepare prosecutors to respond with maximum effectiveness to child abuse cases.
Abstract