Law enforcement investigation of non-sexual child abuse: Physical abuse, neglect and Abusive Head Trauma

Date01 April 2021
Published date01 April 2021
DOI10.1177/13657127211002284
Subject MatterArticles
Article
Law enforcement investigation of
non-sexual child abuse: Physical
abuse, neglect and Abusive Head
Trauma
Sarah Shaffer
Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
Nadja Schreiber Compo
Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
J Zoe Klemfuss
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
Joanna Peplak
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
Julio Mejias
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
Abstract
This study examined the experiences of law enforcement in investigating physical abuse, neglect
and Abusive Head Trauma (AHT). Law enforcement (N¼388) in the United States were
surveyed regarding case characteristics, investigative strategy, interrogative approaches, fre-
quency/content of perpetrator admissions and interagency interaction across cases of physical
abuse, neglect and AHT. Results revealed that exposure rates matched those of national sta-
tistics. AHT perpetrators reported to admit guilt less often than suspects of physical abuse and
neglect. Participants reported that suspects explain physical abuse and AHT by referencingpoor
self-control as a common cause. Lack of financial resources was commonly reported as the
explanationfor neglect. Potentially coercive interviewing techniques werereported across abuse
types but were more frequent in cases of AHT. AHT cases were reportedly hardest to prove/
prosecute partially due to conflicting medical diagnoses. Potential implications for law enforce-
ment investigative (interviewing) policies and future research are discussed.
Keywords
abusive head trauma, law enforcementinvestigation, neglect, physical abuse, suspect interviewing
Corresponding author:
Sarah Shaffer, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
E-mail: sshaffer@fiu.edu
The International Journalof
Evidence & Proof
2021, Vol. 25(2) 75–92
ªThe Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/13657127211002284
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Child abuse is a significant concern within the public health and criminal justice systems. The estimated
incidence of child abuse has remained high at 9.2 victims per 1,000 children in the last decade (Finkelhor
et al., 2013; National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System [NCANDS]; United States Department of
Health and Human Services, 2020), and incidence rates are estimated to be particularly high during the
COVID-19 pandemic (Humphreys et al., 2020; Lawson et al., 2020). Child abuse and neglect are linked
to myriad negative developmental outcomes such as behavioural disorders, cognitive delays, increased
risk for substance abuse disorders, low socioeconomic status in adulthood and increased sexual risk-
taking (Gilbert et al., 2009; Sugaya et al., 2012). Adults who experience abuse as children are also more
likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder and use social and mental health services more often
(Cohen et al., 2004; Murphy et al., 2020). Accurately identifying and investigating cases of suspected
abuse is thus vital in both reducing repeated incidents of abuse and improving long-term medical, mental
and socioeconomic outcomes.
Definitions of what may or may not constitute the abuse or neglect of a child vary across states and
agencies. However, research-based estimates suggest that up to 80.1%of children worldwide will be
victims of some type of abuse (e.g., Finkelhor et al., 2005; Stephenson et al., 2006). Given the potential
prevalence of child abuse and the high stakes for accurately identifying and substantiating abuse in law
enforcement investigations, the present study surveyed United States law enforcement about interview-
ing procedures across three common categories of child abuse (neglect, physical abuse and Abusive
Head Trauma [AHT]), as well as other general characteristics of abuse investigations, to shed light on
how these categories of abuse are investigated and substantiated by police.
Neglect
Neglect is estimated to be the most frequently occurring form of child abuse in the United States with
over three-fifths of reports made in the year 2018 concerning cases of neglect (60.8%; United States
Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). This is in contrast to a rate of 34%reported in Canada
(Trocm´
e et al., 2010), approximately 18%across European countries (Sethi et al., 2018) and a range of
22.5%to 43.6%across East Asia and the Pacific Regio n (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2012).
Surprisingly, despite its prevalence, particularly in the United States, little scientific research has
addressed the investigation of allegations of child neglect and the potential hurdles to addressing these
cases from the perspective of the criminal justice system (Stoltenborgh et al., 2013).
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is the second most prevalent form of child abuse, the type most likely to result in fatality,
and often occurs co-morbidly with other forms of abuse such as psychological abuse and neglect
(NCANDS; United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). Reports of physical abuse
make up 10.7%of abuse reported to Child Protective Services (CPS; United States Department of Health
and Human Services, 2020). Comparable rates have been reported in Europe (*23%; Sethi et al., 2018)
and Canada (*20%; Trocm´e et al., 2010), with a similar range of estimates (10%to 30.3%) reported
across East Asia and the Pacific Region (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2012). Similar to neglect, little
is known about police practices, beliefs and hurdles in the investigation of cases of physical abuse.
Abusive head trauma
Over one quarter (28.7%) of child abuse victims are younger than 3 years old and victims younger than
1 year of age account for 15.3%of all victims (United States Department of Health and Human Services,
2020). Of particular concern for this age group is AHT—previously called Shaken Baby Syndrome
(SBS)—which is diagnosed at a rate of 16–33 cases per 100,000 children in the United States and 13.0–
15.5 per 100,000 children in Canada (Fujiwara et al., 2012; National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome;
76 The International Journal of Evidence & Proof 25(2)

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