The reproduction of child maltreatment: An examination of adolescent problem behavior, substance use, and precocious transitions in the link between victimization and perpetration
Date
2019
Authors
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Publisher
Criminal justice ethics
Abstract
Non-recent child sexual abuse (CSA) and child sexual exploitation (CSE) have received
recent attention. Victims often do not report their ordeal at the time the incident
occurred, and it is increasingly common for agencies to refer concerns to the police
years, or decades, after the event. The combination of the non-recent nature of the
offence, the lack of engagement by the (potentially vulnerable) victim, and the huge
resource burden of investigation make deciding whether to proceed with investigation
complex and ethically challenging. Although there will always be a presumption in
favor of investigation, for some cases the reasons against investigating will outweigh
this presumption. We examine the considerations at stake in making a decision about
whether to make contact with the victim and proceed with investigating a particular
non-recent CSA case. Arguing for a “broad rights” approach, we identify
considerations relating to (1) the victim, (2) criminal justice and crime prevention, (3)
limited resources, and (4) legitimacy. We argue that, all other things being equal, nonrecent and current investigations are equally worthy of investigation. We assess the
implications of suspects being persons of public prominence. We outline a principled
decision-making framework to aid investigators. The Oxford CSA Framework has the
potential to reduce unnecessary demand on police resources.
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Keywords
child sexual abuse, exploitation, non-recent offences, police ethics, police investigation, International Resources, United Kingdom
Citation
Maslen, H., & Paine, C. (2019). When should the police investigate cases of non-recent child sexual abuse?. Criminal justice ethics, 38(2), 65-102.