NCJ Number
232131
Date Published
July 2007
Length
98 pages
Annotation
This report examines local approaches that have been found to be effective in assisting children whose parents have been arrested.
Abstract
Several jurisdictions in California have instituted formal policies and procedures to address the needs of children whose parents have been arrested. This report identifies factors that significantly increase the success of joint approaches to keeping children safe when their parents have been arrested. These factors include: a timely response by child welfare services to law enforcement requests for assistance; cross-training on roles and responsibilities for participating agencies; and having a designated liaison officer to review cases, handle questions, and facilitate ongoing collaboration. The report also discusses the benefits of joint approaches by law enforcement and child welfare service agencies to keeping children safe. These benefits include: reduction in traumatic effects of parental arrest on children; decrease in law enforcement's time spent at the arrest scene; the reduction in the number of children taken into formal child welfare services custody; and an enhanced relationship between law enforcement and child welfare services. The report is divided into several sections that examine why it is important to consider children when parents are arrested; the responsibilities of law enforcement and child welfare services for children at the time of parental arrest; a checklist for local agencies in developing a response to the problem; joint protocols developed by San Francisco, Los Angeles City and County, and San Jose and Santa Clara County to address the problem; and a broader vision for keeping children safe - the New Haven child development-community policing program. Figures, appendixes, list of resources, and notes