Human Services News

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention:

OJJDP's Portable Guides series provides practical information on investigating child abuse and neglect.

Written by nationally recognized experts, the guides are presented in a user-friendly format for quick on-the-job reference by police officers and detectives.

The guides are also useful for social workers, physicians, attorneys, and others on the frontlines of reporting, investigating, and prosecuting crimes against children.

The series currently includes 14 titles, each addressing a specific topic.

OJJDP recently released reprints of the following guides:

Criminal Investigation of Child Sexual Abuse (NCJ 214371). Describes techniques for conducting an investigation that will successfully support or disprove an accusation of child sexual abuse in a court of law.

Interviewing Child Witnesses and Victims of Sexual Abuse (NCJ 214124). Describes and illustrates practical techniques for interviewing children to elicit useful, factual information.

Photodocumentation in the Investigation of Child Abuse (NCJ 214123). Describes equipment and methods that will help investigators obtain the best possible photographic evidence in child abuse cases.

Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness Is Caused by Abuse (NCJ 214125). Provides criteria for determining whether a child's injuries are the result of abuse.