Law Enforcement’s Evolving Mission to Protect Children: A Multi-disciplinary Perspective Years Later

Abstract

Each discipline responsible for providing safety and protection to child victims of violence has a vested interest in develo** and maintaining best practice methods for responding to child maltreatment and exploitation. The steady progression of collaborative efforts in investigating, prosecuting and providing necessary services to victims, families and the greater community has led to the realization of the need for functioning and integrated partnerships. This chapter addresses two themes. We begin with a fresh look at some of the advances and emerging practices that have occurred over the last several years. For example, we discuss the adaptations made in the use of technology due to conditions imposed by the COVID19 world-wide pandemic, changes in legislation made to reflect the evolution of practices in the field, and highlights representing adoption worldwide of modern practice in communities where historically efforts to standardize the investigative process have been stalled.