Santa Clara County Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program, Parents United, Daughters and Sons United, and Adults Molested as Children United, San Jose, California (From Innovations in the Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse Cases, P 24-42, 1981, Josephine Bulkley, ed. - See NCJ-94313)

• NCJ Number: 94315
• Author(s): E E Cobey; M A Minzer
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Available on microfiche as NCJ-94313

Annotation

This description of the Santa Clara County Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program (CSATP) (California) focuses on program philosophy, authority for operation, staffing, funding, eligibility, components, treatment, program termination, and program statistics.

Abstract

The CSATP is part of the Juvenile Probation Department and receives State funds under Assembly Bill 2288. The staffing of key program components consists of (1) a police sexual assault unit coordinator, who is responsible for collecting evidence needed for prosecution; (2) the district attorney, who is responsible for the prosecution of offenders and the protection of child victims; (3) the pretrial release services specialist, who is responsible for pretrial release decisions and the supervision of those released on their own recognizance; (4) the juvenile probation officer, who is responsible for case investigation, filing petitions in juvenile court, and coordinating action pertinent to victim needs; (5) judges, who are responsible for pretrial release, handling of the criminal case, and appropriate sentencing; and (6) the CSATP supervisor, who coordinates and oversees the counseling and self-help components of the treatment program. Program eligibility criteria eliminate predatory chronic child molesters, those with a history of violence, and those who lack a strong sense of guilt for the molestations. Treatment consists of individual counseling for family members, mother-child and father-child counseling, marital counseling, family counseling, and group counseling. Participation in the program is not an alternative to the criminal or juvenile justice processes. The offender is usually sentenced to a county jail term and placed on work furlough as well as receiving 5 years probation. Over 80 percent of the 3,000 offenders participating in the program from its beginning have successfully completed it. A bibliography with 11 listings, the relevant State legislation, and the screening criteria are provided.