Topics: Focus on non-accidental injuries sustained by children. | Emphasize techniques used by investigators in assessment, investigation and reconstruction of fractures and soft tissue injuries. | Identify and demonstrate various weapons used by offenders. | Address circumstances and evaluation of children reported as victims or exhibiting signs and symptoms of sexual abuse.

Topics: Examine behavioral differences in physical abuse, domestic violence and child sexual abuse offenders. | Discuss power and control wheel and cycle of violence. | Discuss impact of relationship in child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, including familial, custodial, statutory cases and serial offenders. | Relate grooming and manipulation behaviors to victim dynamics, including, but not limited to: delayed disclosures, recantations, and physical evidence collection (or lack thereof).

Topics: Focus on roles and responsibilities of each member of the MDT. | Discuss response times and investigative activities of law enforcement and child protective services. | Highlight MDT coordination and communication.

Topics: Discuss interview strategies for non-offending caregivers and other witnesses in child abuse cases. | Provide investigative/assessment questions to assist teams in gathering comprehensive information. | Focus on gathering accurate information from children from first responder contacts throughout investigation. | Discuss preparing families for forensic interviews, disclosures, interviews versus interrogation, question types, child development, concrete and abstract concepts, and memory and suggestibility issues.

Topics: Focus on interviewing suspects including: types of suspect statements, interview locations, custody versus non-custody situations, timelines for interviews and the art of interrogation. | Establish the mechanism of injury and determining exclusive custody/access to the child. | Provide interview questions to assist both law enforcement and child protection in their assessments of different types of alleged abuse and exploitation. | Discuss the role technology plays in commission of sexual abuse crimes, including: child pornography, social media evidence, chat (including gaming) evidence, cellphones, geolocation, search warrants/preservation orders, and available resources to assist with the investigation. | Discuss use of technology by law enforcement and child protective services in investigations.

Topics: Discuss key issues in working together as a multidisciplinary team in preparing a case for trial then effectively presenting the case before a judge or jury. | Address common investigative techniques that should be considered in every child abuse case as they relate to court. | Discuss preparing the team for court and preparing children and other lay witnesses for testimony. | Discuss the use of experts at trial and common defenses raised in child abuse cases as well as arguments to dispel these defenses. | Discuss common legal issues in child abuse cases, including the impact of the “Crawford Decision”, 404B evidence, hearsay exceptions, pretrial motions for the State to consider filing, and how to improve the team after trial.