Recognizing When a Child’s Injury or Illness Is Caused by Abuse

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness

Is Caused by Abuse

PORTABLE GUIDE TO INVESTIGATING CHILD ABUSE

U.S. Department of Justice Offce of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531

Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General Karol V. Mason Assistant Attorney General Robert L. Listenbee

Administrator Offce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Offce of Justice Programs Innovation ? Partnerships ? Safer Neighborhoods

ojp.

Offce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The Offce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Offce of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Offce for Victims of Crime; and the Offce of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking.

Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness

Is Caused by Abuse

PORTABLE GUIDE TO INVESTIGATING CHILD ABUSE

NCJ 243908 JULY 2014

Contents

Could This Be Child Abuse? ..............................................................................................1 Caretaker Assessment......................................................................................................2 Injury Assessment............................................................................................................4

Ruling Out a Natural Phenomenon or Medical Conditions ........................................ 4 Distinguishing Between Accidental and Abusive Injuries ........................................... 5 Constructing a Timeline ...................................................................................................5 Skin Injuries ....................................................................................................................6 Contusions (Bruises) ............................................................................................. 6

How Old Is This Bruise? ................................................................................... 7 Distinguishing Between Accidental and Abusive Bruises ....................................... 7 Other Factors To Consider ................................................................................ 9 Burns.................................................................................................................. 9 Thermal Burns ................................................................................................. 9 Contact Burns ............................................................................................... 10 Scalds.......................................................................................................... 10 Fractures .......................................................................................................................11 How Old Is This Fracture? ................................................................................... 13 Features Strongly Suggesting Abuse ..................................................................... 13 Head and Eye Injuries....................................................................................................14 Distinguishing Between Accidental and Abusive Head Injuries................................. 14 Distinguishing Between Accidental and Abusive Eye Injuries ................................... 14 Abdominal Injuries ........................................................................................................15 A Note on Investigating Injuries......................................................................................15 Working With the Medical Community............................................................................15

PORTABLE GUIDE TO INVESTIGATING CHILD ABUSE | iii

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