The federal response to child abuse and neglect.

Abstract

Addressing the problem of child maltreatment is a high priority for the Clinton administration. Guided by the principles of safety, permanency, and the child's well-being, the Administration on Children and Families (ACF) has made great strides in improving the lives of maltreated children. Critical programs administered by ACF include the Adoption and Safe Families Act, Community-Based Family Resource and Support Program grants, Children's Justice Act programs, and Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act research and demonstration projects. Projects serve both to expand existing programs and to develop innovative approaches. ACF has also sponsored several multidisciplinary national conferences designed to generate a sense of shared responsibility and a renewed commitment to solving problems of child abuse and neglect.

Cross-Examination of Sexual Assault Complainants: A Developmental Comparison

“…In fact, the typical child crossexamination has been described as ''a virtual 'how not to' guide to investigative interviewing'' (Henderson, 2002, p. 279), in that it directly contravenes almost every principle established for obtaining complete and accurate reports from children. Particular concern has been raised about sexual abuse cases, in which corroborating evidence is rare (Golden, 2000), making cross-examination the only legal avenue with which to resolve conflicting verbal evidence.…”

The relevance of family-of-origin and sexual assault experience to therapeutic outcomes with college students.

“…Our rationale was based on the premise that CSA might emerge as a significant factor in predicting progress in therapy when other covariates were controlled through the regression analysis. Further, several studies suggest that the impact of CSA on psychosocial functioning may be dissimilar to that generated by general family dysfunction (e.g., Golden, 2000).…”

Not‐for‐Profit Advocacy: Challenging Policy Images and Pursuing Policy Change

“…Subsequent emphasis on family preservation as a primary goal still causes division among child protection professionals over the appropriate role of the criminal justice system in cases of child abuse (Sopher, 1994). Because the overwhelming majority of cases of child sexual abuse involve perpetration by a family member (Golden, 2000), many child advocates feel that criminal prosecution can ultimately be more harmful for the child when they are subjected to the judicial process, especially when forced to face the alleged perpetrator in court. Economic 1 as well as emotional impacts on the child and nonoffending family members already have long‐term implications for the mental health of the victim.…”