APRI Highlights - Fall 2004

Battling Child Abuse on Multiple Fronts

Mary Leary Director, National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

Child abuse is the silent epidemic in our nation. The quantitative increase in abuse is outdone only by the degree of abuse, as these offenders unleash new and creative methods to assault and exploit our children. Our nation’s prosecutors face the battle against abuse on multiple fronts: whether it be computer facilitated crime, sexual exploitation, or physical abuse and neglect. The National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse continues to lead these prosecutors in this ever-evolving battle.

Dawn Wilsey named Deputy Director, National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

APRI’s leadership position was clearly demonstrated in NCPCA’s summer 2004 courses. In the computer facilitated crimes arena, NCPCA unveiled its new advanced trial advocacy course: Unsafe Havens I in August 2004. This course for prosecutors, which will be offered again in November 2004, was the product of over a year of development and offers prosecutors practical trial advocacy training in these complex cases from investigation through jury selection. It will be followed in June 2005 with Unsafe Havens II, covering opening statements through sentencing in computer facilitated child abuse prosecutions. In June 2004, NCPCA offered a revised version of Safety Net, a hands on computer-facilitated crimes against children course for multidisciplinary teams of prosecutors, forensic specialists, and investigators.

NCPCA also addressed the intricacies of the traditional forms of abuse in two popular national courses. In August we presented Investigation and Prosecution of Child Fatalities to an over-capacity national and international audience in Chicago. In New Orleans, NCPCA presented to the largest audience ever, its nationally renowned Equal Justice course for basic child abuse prosecution.

As we look to the future, in the next few months alone, NCPCA’s assistance to prosecutors remains on the cutting edge. The first Beyond Finding Words conference will be held in Charleston in October, to address emerging issues in child forensic interviewing. To respond to the massive demand, Unsafe Havens I will be offered with no cost to participants November 15 – 19, 2004, in Santa Fe. For more information or assistance, please contact the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse at 703-549-4253, at NCPCA@ndaa-apri.org, or visit our Web site at www.ndaa-apri.org.