Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Service outcomes in physical and sexual abuse cases: a comparison of child advocacy center-based and standard services.

Smith DW, Witte TH, Fricker-Elhai AE

National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 165 Cannon Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. smithdw@musc.edu

Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) were developed to improve on child abuse investigative services provided by child protective service (CPS) agencies. However, until very recently, there has been little research comparing CAC-based procedures and outcomes to those in CPS investigations not based in CACs. The current study tracked 76 child abuse cases that were reported to authorities and investigated through either a private, not-for-profit CAC or typical CPS services in a mid-south rural county. Comparisons between CAC and CPS cases were made in terms of involvement of local law enforcement in the investigation, provision of medical exams, abuse substantiation rates, mental health referrals, prosecution referrals, and conviction rates. Analyses revealed higher rates of law enforcement involvement, medical examinations, and case substantiation in the CAC-based cases compared to the CPS cases. Despite limitations due to sample size and non-randomization, this study found preliminary support for the assumptions underlying the establishment of CACs.

Published 17 October 2006 in Child Maltreat, 11(4): 354-60.
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