NCJ Number
84606
Date Published
1982
Length
205 pages
Annotation
The Sexual Assault Center in Seattle and the Child Protection Center (Special Unit) in Washington, D.C., support prosecution of sex offenders and urge treatment both for offenders and for their victims.
Abstract
Both of these Exemplary Projects are located in hospitals; both provide medical care, crisis intervention, and counseling for victims and their families; both have found ways to make the legal system less threatening to the child victim; and both are committed to improving the community's response to child victims through specialized training and public-awareness activities. In Washington, D.C., the number of victims referred to the project increased nearly 30 percent in the project's 3 years of operation. The project developed a model curriculum for training criminal justice, social service, health care, and mental health personnel; innovated the use of diagnosed gonorrhea as a possible indicator of abuse; designed a Medical-Legal Sexual Assault Evidence Form adopted by the D.C. police for all sexual assault cases; and devised a system for tracking cases through the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The Seattle project succeeded in forming a cohesive network among key agencies involved in treating and prosecuting child sexual abuse cases; instituted new investigative procedures that meet child victims' special needs; and aided in doubling the number of cases filed and disposed of in the King County courts. The manual traces the projects' histories; explains the projects' funding; describes organizational structure and staff composition; and details clinical services, coordination with other agencies, and community outreach activities. A final chapter discusses replication issues, including the legal environment, program affiliation, interagency coordination, professional training, and funding sources. Figures, tables, notes, and appended project materials are provided.