Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading  Processing Request

"It's Like We Never See the Light at the End of the Tunnel": Law Enforcement Perceptions on Stakeholder Collaboration and Resources at CACs in a Southern State.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read Online Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Nichols LM;Nichols LM; Bowen KN; Bowen KN
  • Source:
    Journal of child sexual abuse [J Child Sex Abus] 2025 Feb; Vol. 34 (2), pp. 222-236. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Feb 28.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Taylor & Francis Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9301157 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1547-0679 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10538712 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Child Sex Abus Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: Philadelphia : Taylor & Francis
      Original Publication: London : Informa Healthcare
    • Subject Terms:
      Law Enforcement* ; Police*/psychology ; Child Advocacy*/legislation & jurisprudence ; Child Protective Services*/organization & administration ; Child Abuse*/legislation & jurisprudence ; Stakeholder Participation*; Humans ; Texas ; Qualitative Research ; Child ; Female ; Male ; Adult
    • Abstract:
      This qualitative study examined the perceptions of law enforcement officers who work with Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Texas, utilizing anonymous phone interviews with 20 participants to better explain their views on resources, funding, training, and stakeholder collaboration with Child Protective Services, the district attorney's office, medical personnel, and CAC staff. Five themes emerged: lack of funding, specialized caseload, high turnover and personnel needs, emotional toll, and communication. These themes are discussed, and recommendations are made for law enforcement administration, CAC practitioners, and CAC stakeholders. Key practitioner recommendations include administration understanding the time and specialization required for child abuse cases, smaller and more frequent trainings provided by the CACs to facilitate improved communication and collegiality between stakeholders, and increased funding for additional personnel and resources to benefit officer emotional wellbeing. Limitations of this study and recommendations for future studies are also discussed.
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: CAC model; Children Advocacy Centers; child abuse cases; investigation; law enforcement; law enforcement collaboration
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20250301 Date Completed: 20250422 Latest Revision: 20250422
    • Publication Date:
      20250422
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/10538712.2025.2473493
    • Accession Number:
      40022504