NCJ Number
128372
Editor(s)
D W Lloyd
Date Published
1989
Length
90 pages
Annotation
This report presents the transcript of a panel discussion of issues faced by the criminal justice system and child welfare professionals in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse in custody and visitation on situations.
Abstract
Speakers included prosecutors, other lawyers, mental health professionals, representatives of advocacy groups, and law enforcement officials. They discussed such issues as the need for adequate training regarding child sexual abuse, the abuse of judicial discretion, the accreditation for expert witnesses, the failure to report child sexual abuse to law enforcement, and the lack of data on valid and false allegations of abuse. Other issues considered included the financial costs for parents involved in these cases, blurred boundaries for professionals, supervised visitations by untrained professionals, the lack of hotlines for parents, and the need for peer review and multidisciplinary teamwork. Footnotes, appended list of 14 references, and description of National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse.