NCJ Number
112809
Date Published
1988
Length
353 pages
Annotation
This report on a survey of the methods used by all New York State law enforcement agencies to apprehend persons who commit crimes against children includes recommendations for improving police policies and procedures in this area.
Abstract
In 1987 survey instruments were distributed to the chief executives of all 579 police and sheriffs' departments in New York State and also to the State's 62 district attorneys' offices. The response rates were 73 percent and 80.5 percent, respectively. The survey solicited information on the use of a multidisciplinary team approach for child victimization cases, specialized child victimization response capabilities, special policy and procedures, interagency cooperation in child victimization investigations, the collection and analysis of child victimization data, specialized training in the child victimization area, and special investigatory mehtods for handling crimes against children. Based on the survey findings, the study recommends measures to improve interagency cooperation, to increase the use of multidisciplinary teams in child victimization investigations and prosecutions, to promote size-appropriate specialization for responding to crimes against children, and to increase and improve the development of special and multidisciplinary policies and procedures for responding to crimes against children. Other recommendations cover measures to improve child victimization data collection and analyses capabilities, to address the need for specialized police training in the child victimization area, to address constraints on police caused by shared jurisdiction for child victimization offenses, and to strengthen the district attorney's ability to prosecute crimes against children. 29 tables, 1 figure, relevant law, and survey instruments.