NCJ Number
98549
Editor(s)
J H Meier
Date Published
1985
Length
327 pages
Annotation
Prepared for professionals working with child abuse cases and concerned laypersons, this volume describe innovative, interdisciplinary approaches for helping abusive families and child victims.
Abstract
The first presentation uses a multifactorial model to identify the parental, child, and ecological causes of child assault. It also provides statistics on the international, national, State, and local incidence of child assault. The next author addresses the treatment of pedophiles, incest offenders, and their victims, providing both clinical indicators of assault and an interagency treatment model. In the legal area, two papers discuss police responsibilities in investigating child abuse and the roles played by legal and social service professionals when they decide to remove a child from the home. Courtroom procedures and alternative placements are covered. A review of newer and less well-known interdisciplinary intervention services for victims and perpetrators of child abuse addresses therapies such as art and milieu therapy, as well as the medical and social work disciplines. An overview of a family treatment approach to child assault under the auspices of a community-based family services agency is followed by an implementation plan for a comprehensive community-based program. The latter also focuses on problems encountered when working with black, Asian, and Hispanic communities. The final paper traces the history of the 25-year-old CHILDHELP organization, describes its major projects including The Village residential treatment and research center and an outreach center, and summarizes research findings based on CHILDHELP's clients. The volume supplies approximately 550 references and author and subject indexes. For specific papers, see NCJ 98550-98556.