Assessment of Menlo Church’s Response to a Congregant Expressing an Attraction to Children In December of 2020, Zero Abuse Project entered into a contract with Menlo Church to assess whether a former volunteer, who had confided to having an attraction to children, had engaged in any acts of sexual misconduct. Zero Abuse interviewed 104 witnesses and reviewed or analyzed more
Digital evidence is increasingly stored remotely on servers across state lines, around the globe, and beyond. Accordingly, prosecuting technology-facilitated child abuse in the 21st century requires a familiarity with the Stored Communications Act, trajectory of Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, and complex international considerations. Robert Peters and colleagues have written a pioneering law review article to equip prosecutors with strategies for obtaining
Expert testimony on the forensic interview remains a relatively new subject with significant variations from state to state, and even judge to judge as to what is permissible. To assist prosecutors, forensic interviewers and other professionals, Victor Vieth has written a comprehensive law review article that summarizes the case law on this subject and proposes guidelines for the scope of expert testimony from the forensic interviewer
The Center for Child Advocacy Studies is a program of Zero Abuse Project that works in partnership with institutions of higher education throughout the United States to fully prepare future child protection professionals to adequately recognize, report, and respond to child maltreatment.
It has long been considered, and is widely accepted as best practices to respond to cases of child abuse as part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT
As the COVID-19 pandemic produces quarantines, school closures, and limited interactions between children and mandated reporters, prosecutors and other members of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) will likely be confronted with two challenges.
Many child protection professionals believe child abuse is likely to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic because most abusers are parents or siblings who now have more complete access to the child victim.
I believe we can end child abuse in the United States within three generations. If we start the clock ticking from this moment, this gives us 120 years to get the job done.
The little girl was weeping as she recounted to the police officer her history of sexual abuse at the hands of her father.
A position paper from Gundersen NCPTC and the ChildFirst®/Finding Words forensic interview training programs
In late August, 2013, USA Swimming contracted with the National Child Protection Training Center, a program of Gundersen Health System, to conduct an independent assessment of USA Swimming’s Safe Sport program.
In late August, 2013, USA Swimming contracted with the National Child Protection Training Center, a program of Gundersen Health System, to conduct an independent assessment of USA Swimming’s Safe Sport program
In the past five years, a number of child protection leaders and organizations have held discussions or even offered proposals for the credentialing or certification of forensic interviewers
In the past decade, a number of child protection leaders and organizations have held discussions or even offered proposals for the credentialing or certification of forensic interviewers
In many cases of child sexual and physical abuse, perpetrators use religious or spiritual themes to justify their abuse of a child.
Like most pet owners, I have experienced how therapeutic a pet’s unconditional love can be during times of stress. It has not surprised me, therefore, to see many organizations, counselors and health care professionals formally recognize this.
It has long been considered, and is widely accepted as best practices to respond to cases of child abuse as part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT
Many articles have been written about police interrogations of suspects and recording technology for custodial interviews. However, little has been written about the utilization of recording technology for child forensic interviews.
In the mid-1990s, as a new assistant prosecutor in Michigan assigned to District Court, much of my misdemeanor criminal trial docket was filled with domestic violence cases.
In everycase of child sexual abuse, thereis a crime scene that needs to beinspected and photographed.
As empirical research continues to both support and challenge the credibility of children’s statements regarding alleged sexual victimization, child abuse investigators, legal professionals and judicial officers seek reliable methods of determining the trustworthiness of the reports children provide
Olmsted County Child & Family Services in Rochester, Minnesota, developed a family case conferencing approach in the juvenile court system involving children determined to be a thigh risk of maltreatment
The single most important advantage a multidisciplinary team or lone investigator has in any type of child abuse investigation is the “Investigative Window of Opportunity(IWOP).”
Simply put, whatever the MDT does or does not do as part of the forensic interviewing process, including peer review, will be attacked by defense counsel.
The importance of the prosecutor’s opening statement in a case of child abuse cannot be overstated.At the close of voire dire, which can be a lengthy process,jurors are anxious to see what the case is really about and many jurors will develop a bias in favor of or opposed to the government’s case based on the prosecutor’s opening statement. Although an opening statement is not an argument for finding a defendant guilty, it can be equally persuasive
Zero Abuse Project is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to the elimination of child sexual abuse. Our programs are designed to provide training and education to professionals and students, and to help transform institutions to effectively prevent, recognize, and respond to child sexual abuse.
