NCJ Number
134012
Date Published
1990
Length
24 pages
Annotation
The Federal Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 provides for technical assistance and other mandates designed to improve services for victims of child abuse as well as the prevention, reporting, investigation, and prosecution of such cases.
Abstract
In an effort to improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases, this act authorizes the Director of the Office of Victims of Crime to issue grants for the development and implementation of multidisciplinary child abuse investigation and prosecution programs. Grants are also authorized for national organizations to provide technical assistance and training to attorneys and others instrumental to the criminal prosecution of child abuse cases in State or Federal courts. The act authorizes steps to be taken that will ensure that by January 1, 1995, a court-appointed special advocate will be available to every victim of child abuse or neglect in the United States who needs such an advocate. Other mandates of the act are child abuse training programs for judicial personnel and practitioners, protections and rights for victims under Federal court jurisdiction, child care worker employee background checks, grants for the use of televised testimony for child witnesses under certain circumstances, and treatment for juvenile offenders who are victims of child abuse or neglect.