Skip to main content skip navigation
  • Account
    • Login
    • Manage
  • Subscribe
    • JUSTINFO
    • Register
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact Us
    • Email
    • Feedback
    • Chat
    • Phone or Mail
  • Site Help
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Office of Justice Programs header with links to bureaus/offices: BJA, BJS, NIJ, OJJDP, OVC, SMART Office of Justice Programs BJA BJS NIJ OJJDP OVC SMART Office of Justice Programs
Advanced Search  Search Help
    Browse By Topics  down arrow
  • A–Z Topics
  • Corrections
  • Courts
  • Crime
  • Crime Prevention
  • Drugs
  • Justice System
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Law Enforcement
  • Victims
CrimeSolutions
Add your conference to our Justice Events calendar
  • ABOUT NCJRS
  • OJP PUBLICATIONS
  • LIBRARY
  • SEARCH Q & A
  • GRANTS & FUNDING
  • JUSTICE EVENTS
Home / Publications / NCJRS Abstract

PUBLICATIONS

Register for Latest Research

Stay Informed
Register with NCJRS to receive NCJRS's biweekly e-newsletter JUSTINFO and additional periodic emails from NCJRS and the NCJRS federal sponsors that highlight the latest research published or sponsored by the Office of Justice Programs.

NCJRS Abstract

The document referenced below is part of the NCJRS Virtual Library collection. To conduct further searches of the collection, visit the Virtual Library. See the Obtain Documents page for direction on how to access resources online, via mail, through interlibrary loans, or in a local library.

1 record(s) found

 

NCJ Number: 252768 Find in a Library
Title: Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse: A Partnership To Improve Outcomes
Document: PDF
Author(s): Stephanie D. Block; Linda M. Williams
Date Published: March 2019
Annotation: This is the final summary overview of a study that conducted a retrospective analysis of 500 child sexual abuse (CSA) cases referred for prosecution in one state for the purpose of identifying barriers to prosecuting these cases.
Abstract: Case records were analyzed for evidence related to the alleged incident and details about the victim, the victim’s family, the alleged perpetrator, and the prosecutorial decisions. The case attrition and the case characteristics associated with prosecution outcomes were also assessed. The study found that a small proportion of the CSA cases examined (less than one in five) reached the prosecution stage. Approximately half of those cases resulted in a conviction or guilty plea. An important predictor of a case moving toward prosecution was non-offending caregiver support of the child. New strategies for supporting caregivers and psycho-educational approaches designed to emphasize the importance of believing/supporting the child are needed. Another suggestion is to connect caregivers with other caregivers who have been involved in a CSA case. Evidentiary issues included problems with disclosures of the sexual abuse. A case often involved whether to accept a child’s version of events or that of an involved adult. The study also found that perpetrator criminal history and number of victims predicted case outcomes. Some problems encountered in determining a suspect’s criminal history are discussed. The project continues to work on developing guidelines and suggestions for innovation in prosecuting CSA cases, building on the partnerships developed in conducting this research. This report notes that these efforts will require that multidisciplinary teams develop action plans and evaluate their impact. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 27 references
Main Term(s): Child Sexual Abuse
Index Term(s): Case processing; Child victim interviews; Effectiveness; Investigative techniques; National Institute of Justice (NIJ); NIJ final report; Parent-Child Relations; Prosecution
Grant Number: 2014-MU-MU-0001
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Washington, DC 20531
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, MA 01854-3044
US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
Washington, DC 20531
Corporate Author: University of Massachusetts Lowell
United States of America
Sale Source: US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
810 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531
United States of America
Page Count: 30
Format: Document; Document (Online)
Type: Program/Project Description; Report (Grant Sponsored); Report (Study/Research); Research (Applied/Empirical)
Language: English
Country: United States of America
To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=274996

*A link to the full-text document is provided whenever possible. For documents not available online, a link to the publisher's website is provided. Tell us how you use the NCJRS Library and Abstracts Database - send us your feedback.




Find in a Library

You have clicked Find in a Library. A title search of WorldCat, the world's largest library network, will start when you click "Continue." Here you will be able to learn if libraries in your community have the document you need. The results will open in a new browser and your NCJRS session will remain active for 30 minutes. Learn More.

You have selected:

This article appears in

In WorldCat, verify that the library you select has the specific journal volume and issue in which the article appears. Learn How.

Continue to WorldCat

You are about to access WorldCat, NCJRS takes no responsibility for and exercises no control over the WorldCat site.

 
Office of Justice Programs Facebook Page  Twitter Page
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics Twitter Page
  • National Institute of Justice Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office for Victims of Crime Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking Facebook Page Twitter Page
Contact Us | Feedback | Site Map
Freedom of Information Act | Privacy Statement | Legal Policies and Disclaimers
USA.gov | CrimeSolutions
Department of Justice | Office of Justice Programs