Service Outcomes in Physical and Sexual Abuse Cases: A Comparison of Child Advocacy Center-Based and Standard Services

Daniel Wilkins Smith · Tricia H. Witte · Adrienne E. Fricker-Elhai

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Child Abuse and Trauma Child Welfare and Adoption Child Abuse and Related Trauma

Abstract

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.

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References

2001The APSAC Handbook on Child Maltreatment 1996Childhood Sexual Abuse and Psychiatric Disorder in Young Adulthood: II. Psychiatric Outcomes of Childhood Sexual Abuse 1996Posttraumatic stress disorder in a clinical sample of adult survivors of childhood Sexual Abuse 2005Children's Protective Services and Law Enforcement: Fostering Partnerships in Investigations of Child Abuse 2005Child Abuse Investigations: Reasons for using Child Advocacy Centers and Suggestions for Improvement 2007Evaluation of the Children’s Advocacy Center Model: Efficiency, Legal and Revictimization Outcomes

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2017Better Together? A Review of Evidence for Multi-Disciplinary Teams Responding to Physical and Sexual Child Abuse 2012Results from the Virginia Multidisciplinary Team Knowledge and Functioning Survey: The importance of differentiating by groups affiliated with a child advocacy center

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