NCJ Number
145845
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (1993) Pages: 107-116
Date Published
1993
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Five general areas (medicine, social work, law, mental health, and law enforcement) form the core of the child protection team, yet only law enforcement is not fully professionalized. As a result, police have generated the least amount of literature in the field of child sexual abuse.
Abstract
While several studies report that police attitudes toward child sexual abusers are more punitive than those of other human service professionals, other research has indicated that police attitudes toward the perpetrators and victims of child sexual abuse are consistent with those of other professionals. Expanding the scope of the professional literature is an essential component of the effort to prevent child sexual abuse. Yet law enforcement lacks an organizational structure to facilitate individual officers' professional progress, and the nature of policing discourages the interdisciplinary interaction needed to improve the police response to child sexual abuse. Nevertheless, some agencies have enhanced their response through training, investigation, and communication and cooperation with child protection services. 27 references