Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness Is Caused by Abuse

The investigation of child abuse is a critical and sensitive issue that affects the safety and well-being of children nationwide. It is estimated that law enforcement agencies in the United States investigate more than 3.3 million cases of child maltreatment each year and that as many as 2,000 children die as a result of this maltreatment.Law enforcement personnel are responsible for protecting children and often have the difficult task of determining if a child's injury is accidental or deliberately inflicted. Careful investigation is required to determine whether a child's injuries are accidental or intentional. This guide, first developed in 1996, provides information about the many indicators of child maltreatment and abuse to help first responders and investigatorsdifferentiate between physical abuse and accidental injury. Over the years, advancementsin medicine have helped further distinguish between accidental and abusive injuries. Thisfourth edition of the guide reflects the most current literature on how to distinguish betweentypes of injuries and includes the questions that investigating officers must ask.

Author: U. S. Department of Justice

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Publication Date: Jan 14, 2015

Number of Pages: 26 pages

Binding: Paperback or Softback

ISBN-10: 150756225X

ISBN-13: 9781507562253