Department of Mental Health Child and Adolescent Forensics - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Department of Mental HealthChild and AdolescentForensics

Christine J. Carlberg, MA

• Interviews are conducted at Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center or Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC).
• Average about five interviews per week.

• National Children’s Advocacy Center
• Huntsville, Alabama
• 1985
• By Congressman Robert “Bud” Cramer, then a District Attorney

• 2004 – CAC lost funding for full time forensic interviewer. The GMHC and CAC collaborated to develop program that is now part of GMHC.
• CAC agreed to provide office space, administrative support, and training on regular basis for interviewers.
• Beneficial to both agencies.
• Benefits community as a whole.

• Interviews are paid for by State Office of Victim Assistance (SOVA), Medicaid, insurance, etc.

• A structured, non-leading, developmentally appropriate method of gathering information that considers all hypotheses.
• Child friendly
• Non-coercive
• Fact finding

• An interrogation
• Mind reading
• The only way to get information
• Additional abuse to the child if done properly

• Sexual abuse (90%)
• Physical abuse (6%)
• Witness (.7%)
• Neglect (.5%)
• Other (3%)

*Gender *Ages

• 71% Female - 44% 0-6
• 29% Male - 39% 7-12

- 17% 13-18

*Ethnicity

-21% African American

-61% Caucasian

-8% Hispanic

-3% Multiethnicity

-1% Native American

-1% Other

-5% Unknown

• Ages

*7% Under 13

*15% 13-17

*45% 18+

*28% Unknown

• Relationship to Child

*22% Parent

*7% Step-parent

*11% Parent’s boy/girl friend

*22% Other relative

*32% Other known

*6% Unknown

• Males accounted for 94.6% of offenders committing sexual violence against children.
• Most offenders who committed acts of sexual violence against children were older that the victim, 49.5% were more than 10 years older.
• Males victimizing females accounted for 79.8% of sexual violence against children.

• Children were more likely than adults to have been victimized by a family member.
• 52% of family members who sexually assaulted another family member were more than 20 years older than the victim.

• According to the Sexual Violence Against Children in South Carolina 1991-2005 report published by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs:
• There were 3165 cases of sexual violence against children in 2005
• Children made up 63.9% of all sexual violence victims from 1991 to 2005

• Forcible fondling was the most frequent violence sexual offence against children, accounting for 48.3%
• Greenville County reported the most acts of sexual violence against children in 2005.

• Children between 10 and 14 years of age experienced the highest sexual violence victim rate.
• The sexual victimization rate for girls was almost 5 times the rate of boys.

• Often not much evidence of sexual abuse.
• Between 87-92% of the time there is no medical evidence.
• Therefore it seems like it’s the child’s word against the perpetrator’s.
• Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) are very important.

• Law enforcement
• DSS
• Medical
• Solicitor’s Office
• Forensic interviewers
• Others: therapist, school personnel, etc.
• We want to collaborate the child’s statement, protect the child, and prosecute the case.

• Trained to question in developmentally appropriate way
• Questions are non-leading
• Defensible
• Follow a protocol
• Testify
• Offer assessment and recommendations

• CornerHouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Together with American Prosecutor Research Institute developed Finding Words.
• South Carolina first state for Finding Words – partnered with the Children’s Law Center in Columbia.
• Training also offered in Huntsville, AL.
• National Children’s Advocacy Center

• R – rapport
• A – anatomy identification
• T – touch inquiry
• A – abuse scenario
• C – closure
• Each step is based on research and therefore legally defensible.

• Anatomical Drawings
• Anatomical dolls
• Markers and paper
• Experience and training
• MDT

• Jessie’s Law – videos can be shown in court for children ages 12 and under

- Does not mean children won’t testify

2 positive and one negative outcome in criminal trial.

80 year sentence heavily weighed on interview.

Solicitor’s office now says every child under the age of 12 must have interview.

Prior to law, video tape was not used.

More education to referring agencies and Solicitor’s office, increase number of interviews, grow program.