Wright, Lori

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University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices9-4-2008UNH Researchers Find Children's AdvocacyCenters Improve Response To Child AbuseVictimsLori WrightUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWright, Lori, "UNH Researchers Find Children's Advocacy Centers Improve Response To Child Abuse Victims" (2008). UNH Today.520.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/520UNH Researchers Find Children's Advocacy Centers Improve Response to Child Abuse Victimshttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2008/sept/lw4abuse.cfm.html[9/12/2016 1:19:18 PM] UNH Researchers Find Children's Advocacy CentersImprove Response To Child Abuse VictimsMedia Contact:  Lori Wright 603-862-0574UNH Media RelationsSeptember 4, 2008EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Lisa Jones with the UNH Crimes against ChildrenResearch Center can be reached at 603-862-2515 and lisa.jones@unh.edu. AmandaPeterson with the New Hampshire Network of Children's Advocacy Centers can bereached at 603-380-3095 and amanda.peterson@unh.edu. The Department ofJustice report "Evaluating Children's Advocacy Centers' Response to Child SexualAbuse" is available from the Office of Justice Programs website atwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp.DURHAM, N.H. - As communities continue to search for ways to improve sexual abuseinvestigations, research from the University of New Hampshire's Crimes against ChildrenResearch Center finds that the Children's Advocacy Center model, a growing and innovativeprogram, can help communities succeed in this goal.The UNH research findings are detailed in a new report, "Evaluating Children's AdvocacyCenters' Response to Child Sexual Abuse," by the Department of Justice's Office of JuvenileJustice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) are designed to make child abuse investigations morechild friendly, increase professional coordination, and improve investigation outcomes. Thefirst CAC was developed in 1985. In 2007 more than 450 accredited CACs existed and morethan 235,000 children received services at a CAC last year. UNH researchers have beenstudying child abuse investigations for more than eight years, examining ways to improve thequality of child abuse investigations."The findings from our research support the multidisciplinary approach of the CAC model,"said Lisa Jones, an author of the report and researcher at the Crimes against ChildrenResearch Center (CCRC). "CACs increase communication among professionals involved withchild abuse victims and focus on the needs of the child and family. They can help improveattention to gaps in service or response for these children."UNH conducted a multi-site evaluation of Children's Advocacy Centers. Researchers collecteddata on investigations from 10 communities across the country and compared investigationsin communities with a CAC to those without a CAC. The UNH researchers are continuingresearch with CACs nationally and in New Hampshire.The key research findings include:Communities with CACs had greater law enforcement involvement in child sexualabuse investigations and more evidence of coordinated investigations.UNH Researchers Find Children's Advocacy Centers Improve Response to Child Abuse Victimshttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2008/sept/lw4abuse.cfm.html[9/12/2016 1:19:18 PM]CAC cases resulted in better child access to medical exams.CACs documented a higher rate of referrals for child mental health treatment,although children accessed mental health treatment at similar rates across allcommunities.Caregivers at CACs expressed greater satisfaction with the investigative process.CACs and comparison communities had similar rates of prosecution and conviction ofoffenders. However, one CAC filed more criminal charges than the community it wascompared with, and another sentenced offenders to longer jail terms."While our study and our work with CACs identify areas in which they have been successful,our research highlights other areas where CACs could strive even further to help improve theresponse to victims," Jones said.Jones noted that CACs are in a good position to improve communication betweenprofessionals and families, help children access mental health services with proveneffectiveness, and advocate for shortening the length of time child abuse cases languish in thecriminal justice system.New Hampshire has a statewide network of eight CACs. In 2007, New Hampshire CACsprovided services to 1,375 children, a 16 percent increase over 2006. This increase reflectsthe rapid growth of the CAC model in New Hampshire. The average age of a child seen at aNew Hampshire CAC was 9, and 90 percent of the children were alleged victims of sexualabuse."New Hampshire's CAC programs have benefited enormously from the wisdom of the researchstaff at the UNH CCRC. Not only are our local centers incorporating findings from this nationalstudy, but they have the added benefit of working closely with the research staff on CAC-related research projects in New Hampshire. In the end, the research validates what wealready knew: CACs ensure greater communication across professional disciplines and provideincreased access to services for our youngest victims of crime," said Amanda Peterson, statecoordinator for the New Hampshire Network of Child Advocacy Centers.For more information on the New Hampshire Network of Child Advocacy Centers, visithttp://www.nhncac.org/.The UNH Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) works to combat crimes againstchildren by providing high-quality research and statistics to the public, policy makers, lawenforcement personnel, and other child welfare practitioners. CCRC is concerned with researchabout the nature of crimes including child abduction, homicide, rape, assault, and physicaland sexual abuse as well as their impact. Visit the center online athttp://www.unh.edu/ccrc/index.html.-30-

UNH Researchers Find Children\u27s Advocacy Centers Improve Response To Child Abuse Victims

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UNH Researchers Find Children\u27s Advocacy Centers Improve Response To Child Abuse Victims

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