NCJ Number
75327
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1980) Pages: 464-473
Date Published
1980
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Ways in which police departments can help prevent the sexual abuse of children and aid victims are suggested.
Abstract
Departments should initiate research to discover the numbers of reported and unreported incidents, to identify the kinds of acts committed and the lures used, to profile the abusers, and to discover when and where the acts occur. This information should be supplemented with opinions of mental health professionals on the types of persons who are offenders, and the data collected should be disseminated to the public through lectures and printed materials. Furthermore, departments should keep their officers informed through 1-day or 2-day inservice training programs using local professionals. Officers should be discouraged from reducing charges against abusers since the treatment that results from a conviction may help toward rehabilitation; patrol officers should be encouraged to make incident reports for specific sexual offenses for the department's files. Sexual abuse 'hot spots' should be identified, and police activities in these places should be increased. In addition, immediate action should be taken on young runaways or missing youths, rather than waiting 24 hours, to avoid jeopardizing their welfare. In dealing with victims, officers must try to be understanding, sensitive, and patient. Officers must let the victims talk, and be supportive to them. Also, officers should be aware of community services available to victims. Useful publications and sample information programs are described, and the effects of sexual abuse are reviewed. Examples of an inservice training agenda and an incident report form are provided. Footnotes are included.