Police Charging Decisions in Child Maltreatment Investigations: Findings from the 2008 Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect

Abstract

The objective of this study is to use logistic regression to examine factors that influence charging decisions by the police during child 15other factors, police were 1.6 times more likely to lay charges in physical abuse cases and 2.5 times more likely to lay charges in sexual abuse cases. Other factors associated with police charging decisions include: older victim, cases with multiple types of maltreatment, cases opened for ongoing services, and cases of the 20 child is living in a house known to have drugs or household hazards. The article discusses the results and their implications for child welfare policy and practice.ARTICLE HISTORY