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Child abuse

Director's Message: New National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations of Prepubescent Children

This protocol strengthens our nation’s response to child sexual abuse and promotes the healing and well-being of these victims.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is pleased to support the release of the National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations, Pediatric (pdf, 233 pages) (Pediatric SAFE Protocol) by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The empirical research on the abuse...

Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions

May 2010

The management of sexual offenders in the community post-release is an issue of increasing concern to law enforcement, policymakers and the public. In recent years, efforts to strengthen registration and notification have been enhanced. At the same time, comparatively little attention has been paid to related matters, such as how residency restrictions may impact offenders' efforts to find stable work and living arrangements once they are released from prison, whether rates of recidivism have changed, and whether these policies increase the safety of potential victims.