Working with police to help children exposed to violence

Abstract

AbstractChildren's exposure to community and domestic violence is a major problem in our country. Exposure to violence can contribute to negative short‐ and longer‐term outcomes for children that includes significant risk for later violent behavior. Prevention and intervention programs for children exposed to violence benefit from creative strategies and collaborations to identify and reach children earlier in order to prevent or reduce the risk. This article describes the development and implementation of the Violence Intervention Program for Children and Families, which represents a partnership with the New Orleans Police Department. It was designed to raise awareness, provide training, identify children earlier after the trauma, and provide interventions and treatment services for traumatized children and families. Over the course of the 10 years of the program, the results of the education and collaboration showed increased sensitivity of police officers to traumatized children and greater success in early referrals for intervention and treatment. Raising awareness at local and national levels of the important preventive role that police–mental‐health collaborations can play is a crucial component of the work. With recognition of the effects of trauma and appropriate interventions, it is possible to help children stay on track developmentally by supporting positive social and emotional development and preventing the risk of later violence. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 593–606, 2004.