Analysis Of Case Files Research Articles

Logistic Stewardship: Supporting Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs Based on Antibiotics Goods Flow

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to safe health care, and a reduction in antibiotic consumption seems to be an appropriate preventive measure. In Germany, the reporting of hospital antibiotics consumption to an independent institution is only voluntary. Although a high level of willingness to improve can be assumed in the case of participation, the median consumptions of reporting hospitals change only slightly. This study examines the question of whether the logistical consumption figures adequately reflect real consumption, and if not, how to optimize the use of logistical data for clinical decisions. Methods: Four selected wards were analyzed during six months. A retrospective analysis of patient case files was performed to receive “prescribed daily doses” (PDDs). These were compared to “defined daily doses” (DDDs) from logistical data. Additional inventories were performed to calculated stored antibiotics. Antibiotics goods flows were presented via waterfall diagrams to identify logistic patterns that could explain PDD/DDD quotients. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) quality indicators were analyzed to give advice for optimized clinical AMS measures. Results: The total PDD/DDD quotient was 0.69. Four logistical patterns were identified. Optimized prophylaxis, AMS consultations and reevaluation of therapy seem to be the most useful measures to reduce PDDs. Conclusions: If AMS programs rely solely on DDDs, measures cannot be optimal. A complete consideration of antibiotic goods flows supports clinical decisions, but is very costly in terms of data collection. The consideration of logistical data can help to identify areas of focus for AMS programs. Therefore, specialists of antibiotics logistics should complement clinical AMS teams.

Profile and outcomes of retinal artery occlusion: The underrealized need to expedite presentation.

To evaluate the clinical profile of retinal artery occlusion (RAO) and impact of presentation on visual outcomes. A retrospective analysis of case files of 3070 patients with RAO was performed using electronic medical records. Demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The differential distribution of risk factors of RAO with age was studied. Time to presentation and treatment effects were assessed using multivariate regression. Interaction plots were drawn to assess the impact of risk factors on outcomes. Central RAO was the most common type (n = 2443, 77.11%), followed by branch RAO (n = 500, 15.78%), while combined retinal vascular occlusion and cilio-RAO were rare. Most of the patients (71.40%) were male and had unilateral (96.81%) affliction. Almost half presented within the fifth (24.85%) and sixth (21.4%) decades of life. Hyperhomocysteinemia had a higher association (1.95, P = 0.0019) with younger patients (<40 years), while hypertension (3.64, P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (DM; 4.18, P < 0.001), and coronary artery disease (CAD) (4.26, P = 0.002) were significantly commoner in older patients. CAD (5.1%) and cerebrovascular disease (0.6%) were detected after ocular presentation in some patients. Embolus, though detected rarely (1%), was associated (60%) with serious systemic disorders. Early presentation (<6 h) was associated with better visual outcomes (mean log of minimum angle of resolution 1.8 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.3, P = 0.032). Neovascular glaucoma (2.14% overall) was twice more common in DM (P < 0.0004) and led to further vision loss. Visual improvement occurred in 10% of patients over follow-up. RAO occurs slightly earlier compared to coronary and cerebrovascular disorders and can precede their detection. Associated risk factors vary with the age of presentation. Presentation within 6 h needs facilitation for better outcomes and management.

Why Bystanders Report Intimate Partner Violence Anonymously: A Qualitative Analysis of Real-Life Cases

Although bystanders can play an important role in combating intimate partner violence (IPV), they also experience unique barriers and challenges that may prevent them from involvement. While anonymous reporting could potentially address some of these barriers, this form of intervention has rarely been studied. Using a thematic analysis of case files ( N = 34 reports), this study investigates bystanders’ reasons to report suspicions of IPV anonymously to a domestic violence hotline. Results indicate that anonymity allowed bystanders to balance the desire to protect the victim(s) from harm with the fear of potential consequences for themselves and/or their relationship with the victim(s).

Binaries and Blurred Lines: The Ethical Stress of Child Protection Social Work in the Grey of Extra-Familial Harm

ABSTRACT Social care responses to extra-familial harm require social workers to work across the binaries of welfare and justice, victim and perpetrator, parent and professional, risk and protection. This paper examines the ethical consequences of working in this manner, through qualitative data (focus groups, interviews, observations, case file analysis and documentary review) from three children's social care organisations in England who trialled new child protection pathways for significant harm outside of family homes/relationships. The extent to which these pathways created five conditions for a welfare response to extra-familial harm are considered, before these results are brought into conversation with Bourdieu’s meta theory of capital, habitus and doxa, and Fenton's practice theory of ethical stress. The challenges identified evidence of the importance foregrounding social work values in the pursuit of welfare-based response to extra-familial harm. They also offer a rationale for studying theories of care ethics in social work in the context of interagency practice.

Choanal Atresia: Clinical Features and Factors Affecting Its Surgical Outcomes

Introduction: One of a rare congenital anomaly seen in the development of nose is choanal atresia, whose occurrence is 1 in 5000-8000 live births. This study highlights our experiences in the management of choanal atresia. Materials and methods: It is a retrospective study, which includes the systematic analysis of case files of patients who underwent surgical treatment for choanal atresia from the year 2015 to 2022. Results: Total of 11 cases (15 operated sides) which has 9 female (53%) and 8 male (47%). Majority of them were bony atretic plate (10) followed by mixed variety (5) and none purely membranous. Age at 1st surgery in bilateral cases ranged from 6th day of life to 18th day of life. For unilateral cases the age at 1st surgery ranged from 26th day of life to as late as 10 years old. Conclusion: Management of choanal atresia involves multi-disciplinary approach and preventing restenosis is a challenge. Factors effecting the outcome of surgery are age and weight of the child, as bigger the child in size, wider the choanal arches can be opened with less post-operative scarring and restenosis. Usage of nasopharyngeal airway as a stent in primary repair during early post-operative period is essential to stabilize the nasal airway.

The effectiveness of Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy in the treatment of juvenile antisocial behavior: A study protocol of a Multiple Case Experimental Design.

Juvenile antisocial behavior can have long-lasting and devastating effects for juveniles themselves, victims, and society. Evidence-based treatment is vital. Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy (Forensische Ambulante Systeem Therapie; FAST) is a promising treatment for juveniles showing severe antisocial behavior including aggression, (domestic) violence, and delinquent behavior. FAST has a flexible intensity and length, addresses individual and systemic risk and protective factors, and is responsive to the abilities of the client (system), intervention characteristics all considered crucial for effective treatment. The current study will investigate whether FAST is effective in reducing aggression of the juvenile, reaching client formulated subgoals, and improving family functioning. Processes of change will be examined, as well as mediation by reaching client formulated subgoals and improved family functioning. A Multiple Case Experimental Design (MCED) with an ABC design will be performed (A = baseline, B = intervention, and C = follow-up). Juveniles with primary aggression and/or anger problems (N = 15) and their caregiver(s) will be recruited. Data collection will consist of self-report questionnaires and case file analysis. Participants fill out frequent short self-report questionnaires (twice a week during phase A, every other week during phase B, and every week during phase C) and two main questionnaires at the start of the intervention and immediately after intervention end, thereby covering a period of 5 to 11 months. Both visual and statistical analyses will be performed. This study will generate robust knowledge and inform clinical practice on the effectiveness, processes of change, and mediating mechanisms of FAST, aiming to improve the treatment of future families within youth forensic care. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 28/08/2023, protocol ID 60-63600-98-1138a.

False opinion or false alarm? About the criminal liability of an expert for giving a false opinion

This article aims to address the significance of the problem regarding the issuance of false expert opinions in practice. This issue is of great importance and considerably consequential for the public opinion. An expert opinion that is unfavorable to a party often raises suspicions of bribery and manipulation. However, not every litigant’s dissatisfaction necessarily implies a criminal offense. This article highlights the magnitude of the problem of false expert opinions in the Polish justice system and the consequential effects associated with it. In the preparation of the article, a review of domestic and international literature and an analysis of criminal case files on the offence of Article 233 § 4 of the Penal Code were used. The results of the research show that the issue of the crime of issuing a false opinion by an expert has not yet received a comprehensive analysis in the domestic and international literature. The number of criminal cases concerning the issuance of a false opinion by an expert is not significant. Courts usually acquit defendants of this offence which may mean that it is difficult to prove in practice. However, the problem is not as high profile as it presents itself to the public. The results of the research can be used to supplement theoretical considerations of the issue. The results can also be used by practitioners to introduce changes to increase the effectiveness of prosecuting the perpetrators of these crimes or to analyse legislative changes.

Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children’s homes for welfare reasons

PurposeUsing a mixed methodology comprising interviews, case file analysis and descriptive statistics, this study aims to examine the experiences of all 43 young people in Wales subject to secure accommodation orders between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2018.Design/methodology/approachChildren in the UK aged 10–17 years who are deemed to be at a significant level of risk to themselves or others may be subject to a secure accommodation order, leading to time spent in a secure children’s home (SCH) on welfare grounds. Following a rise in the number of children in Wales referred to SCHs for welfare reasons, this paper describes these young people’s journeys into, through and out of SCHs, giving insight into their experiences and highlighting areas for policy and practice improvements.FindingsFindings indicate that improvements in mental health support and placement availability are key in improving the experiences of this particularly vulnerable group of young people throughout their childhood.Practical implicationsOther practical implications of the study’s findings, such as improvements in secure transport arrangements, are also discussed.Originality/valueWhile the findings are limited by the reliance on self-report methods and the size of the study, namely, the small number of young people with experience of SCHs who were able to participate, the findings build on the existing knowledge base around children’s residential accommodation and provide new insights into how best to support these children.

Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Adolescents with Special Educational and Care Needs in the Netherlands: A Case-File Study of Three Special Educational and Care Settings

To date, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in adolescents with special educational and care needs have received little attention as an important risk factor for their behavioral, emotional, and learning problems. This study provides insight into ACE prevalence and family risk factors in three Dutch special educational and care settings for vulnerable school-aged youth. 268 adolescents (10–18 years old) with severe and persistent problems at individual and family level, from a special educational setting (setting 1; n = 59), a residential care setting (setting 2; n = 86) and an alternative educational setting (setting 3; n = 123) were included. A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected between 2016 and 2019 through structured case-file analysis. A substantial proportion of the adolescents in all settings experienced at least one ACE, with 69.5% in setting 1, 84.9% in setting 2 and 95.1% in setting 3. Family risk factors were relatively common, among which a limited social network in all settings (20–50%) and debts in setting 2 and 3 (25–40%). The substantial ACE prevalence underlines the need for early ACE awareness. Trauma-informed care and education are needed to adequately understand trauma-related behaviors, prevent retraumatization, and enhance learning and healthy development. Given that ACEs regarding household dysfunction and family risk factors seem to be common in adolescents with special educational and care needs, family centered approaches should be implemented as well in the interest of lifelong health and well-being for both adolescents and their families.

ESTRUTURA DE OPORTUNIDADE JURÍDICA E BATALHAS JUDICIAIS SOBRE EDUCAÇÃO SEXUAL E ESTUDANTES LGBTQ NO BRAZIL E NA COLOMBIA

Abstract Brazil and Colombia are outstanding cases of rights recognition through courts. However, when it comes to comprehensive sex education (CSE), the legal battles in these countries have experienced notably different moments. Drawing on judicial cases from the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court and the Colombian Constitutional Court, we identify the actors involved in the legal battles over CSE and show how the legal opportunity structure (i.e., the configuration of power, the access to the courts, the systems of alliance and conflicts, and the availability of legal frames) shaped the course and outcomes of the legal mobilization that took place in these countries in different ways. For this, we work with document analysis of court case files and consider a sample established in February 2023 containing 9 cases from Brazil and 24 cases from Colombia. We argue that (i) the Colombian court is much more open to civil society than the Brazilian court, resulting in a broader and more diversified use of litigation, and that (ii) the different configuration of political power has led the Brazilian mobilization to assume a feature of resistance to conservative attacks on CSE, while in Colombia, litigation has become a tool for expanding the right to sex education and protecting LGBTQ students.

Criminality of Prostitution Abuse

The article is based on an empirical socio-legal analysis of criminal court case ‎files concerning prostitution abuse in Slovenia. Based on the theoretical framework developed by Petra Östergren, the authors analyse whether the Slovenian ‎regulatory system on sex work is repressive, restrictive or integrative. The paper explores how the courts define “abuse” and “exploitation” of prostitution, ‎how the participation of third parties in sex work activities is dealt with by ‎the courts, how the vulnerability of sex workers is treated, and how the existence of consent is considered before the courts. The paper examines the files ‎for moral arguments, stereotyping, and stigmatisation, as well as references to ‎occupational risks in the field of sex work and sex workers’ rights. In the conclusions the authors argue that in Slovenia the characteristics of the restrictive ‎model, with elements of both repressive and integrative, prevail.

Suicide, suicide attempts and self-harm in Moroccan prisons

PurposeHigh rates of suicide and self-harm are reported in prisons in Western countries, while fewer studies exist from a non-Western context. This study aims to identify rates of suicide, non-fatal suicide attempts and self-harm in Moroccan prisons and to better understand the context, methods, tools, predictors and profile of persons engaged in the acts.Design/methodology/approachThe authors report findings from a mixed-methods study carried out before an intervention project. The study consists of a systematic literature review, an analysis of suicide case files, a quantitative survey on suicide attempts and self-harm, as well as interviews and focus group discussions. The authors calculate suicide, suicide attempt and self-harm rates and present descriptive data on the incidents. The authors use regression models to explore the association between the number of incidents per individual and selected predictors, adjusting for clustering by institution.FindingsOver a four-year period, 29 detained persons in Morocco died by suicide (average annual suicide rate 8.7 per 100,000). Most were men under the age of 30. Hanging accounted for all but one case. In one year, 230 suicide attempts were reported. Over a three-months period, 110 self-harm cases were reported from 18 institutions, cutting being the most common method. Self-harm was significantly more prevalent among persons with a life sentence or repeated incarcerations.Research limitations/implicationsTo make the study manageable as part of an intervention project, the authors collected data on suicides and suicide attempts from all prisons, while data on self-harm were collected from fewer prisons and over a shorter time period. The authors did not collect comparable information from detained persons who did not die by suicide, attempt suicide or self-harm. This prevented comparative analyses. Further, it is possible that self-harm cases were not reported if they did not result in serious physical injury. Data were collected by prison staff; thus, the voice of incarcerated persons is absent.Practical implicationsThis study provided a solid basis for designing an intervention project including the development of a national prison policy and guidelines on suicides, suicide attempts and self-harm and a country-wide training program for prison staff. It also led to a better surveillance system, allowing for trend analysis and better-informed policymaking. The qualitative results helped create an understanding of how staff may trivialize self-harm. This was integrated into the training package for staff, resulting in the creation of prison staff trainers who became the strongest advocates against the notion that self-harm was best ignored.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published data on suicide and self-harm in Moroccan prisons. It underscores the necessity for the intervention project and gives valuable insights into suicide and self-harm in a non-Western prison context. Further research is needed to assess whether the findings are typical of the region.

Influence of various factors on the legal outcome of cases of child abuse—experiences gathered at an interdisciplinary forensic examination center in Vienna, Austria

Background and objectiveTo improve the currently low conviction rate in cases of child abuse a forensic examination center for children and adolescents (FOKUS) was established in Vienna, Austria. Besides a state of the art treatment combined with forensic documentation, one of FOKUS’ key goals is to identify potential areas for improvements within the process legal proceedings in cases of child abuse through constant scientific monitoring. The accompanying study at hand includes all patients referred to FOKUS within a two year timeframe (n = 233), monitoring their progression from first contact with the medical professionals from FOKUS to the end of criminal proceedings. A detailed analysis of case files was performed in those cases that were reported to the legal authorities by the clinicians of FOKUS (n = 87). Aim of the study is to investigate which factors contribute to the initiation of legal proceedings and a successful conviction.ResultsMultivariate logistic regression analyses showed that main proceedings were opened more often in cases where the offender was an adult (p < 0.001) or admitted his guilt (p < 0.001) and if digital traces were available (p = 0.001) or trial support (p = 0.024) present. Furthermore, the combined occurrence of medical documentation and victim disclosure was related to a higher probability of opening main trials.ConclusionThese findings underline how challenging the successful persecution of an offender in cases of child abuse is.

‘He hits me and that’s just how it is here’: responding to domestic abuse in rural communities

Few criminological studies have specifically set out to research responses to domestic abuse in rural communities. A small number of recent studies have arrived at the problem from a health and/or social geography perspective lending weight to the increasingly apparent significance of space and culture in rural domestic abuse. This article contributes to this research agenda, focusing on the ways in which police and other agencies respond to domestic abuse within the spatial context of rural England and victim-survivors’ experiences of such responses. The article outlines empirical work with a police partner based in the North of England. The study involved a case file analysis of police data and interviews with police officers, partner agency representatives and victim-survivors. We discuss the ways in which apparent heightened gendered conservatism and the ‘cloak of silence’ leads to difficulties in the identification of domestic abuse in rural communities and argue the importance of engaging in holistic and multi-agency approaches when responding to domestic abuse in remote and inaccessible rural communities.

The effectiveness of blended versus regular Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy in the treatment of juvenile antisocial behavior: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAntisocial behavior during adolescence can have long-lasting negative effects and leads to high societal costs. Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy (Forensische Ambulante Systeem Therapie; FAST) is a promising treatment for juveniles aged 12–21 showing severe antisocial behavior. The intensity, content and duration of FAST can be adjusted to the needs of the juvenile and their caregiver(s), which is considered crucial for effective treatment. Next to the regular version of FAST (FASTr), a blended version (FASTb) in which face-to-face contacts are replaced by minimally 50% online contacts over the duration of intervention was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The current study will investigate whether FASTb is equally effective as FASTr, and through which mechanisms of change, for whom, and under which conditions FASTr and FASTb work.MethodsA randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be carried out. Participants (N = 200) will be randomly assigned to FASTb (n = 100) or FASTr (n = 100). Data collection will consist of self-report questionnaires and case file analysis, and include a pre-test at the start of the intervention, a post-test immediately after the intervention, and a six month follow-up. Mechanisms of change will be investigated using monthly questionnaires of key variables during treatment. Official recidivism data will be collected at two-year follow-up.DiscussionThis study aims to improve the effectiveness and quality of forensic mental health care for juveniles with antisocial behavior by studying the effectiveness of blended care, which has not been studied before in treatment of externalizing behavior. If found to be at least as effective as face-to-face treatment, blended treatment can help meet the urgent need for more flexible and efficient interventions in this field. In addition, the proposed study aims to unravel what works for whom, knowledge urgently needed in mental health care for juveniles with severe antisocial behavior.Trial registrationThis trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 07/11/2022, registration number NCT05606978.

Fókuszban a gyermek: A gyermekek érdekét sértő bűncselekmények büntetéskiszabási gyakorlata

Összefoglalás. A KDP keretén belül lefolytatott kutatómunkám magját a gyermekek érdekét sértő, valamint a család elleni bűncselekmények képezték. Kutatásom nóvuma a gyakorlati oldalban rejlett, egy egyedi szellemi terméket létrehozva az országos, illetőleg a Fővárosra kiterjedő aktavizsgálataim révén. Jelen írásom – mely tulajdonképpen a lefolytatott kétéves kutatásom rövid összefoglalójaként fogható fel – alapvetően a kutatási eredményeimre épít, így az – a jogerős ítéleteken keresztül – bemutatja a magyar helyzetképet, kiemelt figyelmet szentelve a büntetéskiszabási gyakorlatnak, valamint az arra hatást gyakorló tényezőknek. Summary. This is to summarise the main ideas and findings of my two-year research that I have conducted in the framework of the Cooperative Doctoral Program. One of the key goals of my research was to draw attention to the necessity of the increased criminal law protection of families, and especially of minors, and also, to provide a comprehensive view of how, by applying what means and how efficiently, this group of society can be protected through the application of the currently effective rules, i.e., mainly criminal substantive law and criminal procedural law. I think that the criminal law protection of the family is undisputedly a hot issue: just to take a look at the intensive media coverage of this topic. The protection of children in the family as a social unit should be paid special attention to, as they are in an especially vulnerable position. The effective Criminal Code (Act C of 2012, Btk) essentially broke with the regulatory scheme in the Criminal Code of 1978, which discussed the provisions aimed at the protection of children and families in the same chapter as the delinquencies against sexual morality, as now it deals with these in a separate chapter (Chapter XX). The core of my research was basically Chapter XX of the Criminal Code, which deals with the crimes that violate the interests of children and that are committed against the family, however, I attached primary importance to the former. The following is meant by delinquencies that violate the interests of children: the endangering of minors, child labour, preventing the exercise of visitation rights with a minor, changing a minor’s custody; while the following statutory definitions will qualify as crimes against the family: failure to observe the maintenance obligation, domestic violence, violation of family legal status, bigamy. Both regarding the crimes that violate children’s interests and those that are against the family, it was my goal to conduct an in-depth dogmatic analysis, in order to explore the theoretical side of delinquencies in question as comprehensively as possible. However, the major novelty of my research lay in the practical aspect, where I exclusively focused on the crimes that violate the interests of children, creating a unique intellectual product based on my case-file analysis on the national and Budapest levels, as thus, I had the opportunity to examine this scope of crimes and the related legal practices from a pretty broad perspective. This short article, which is basically a brief summary of the research that I conducted for two years, is fundamentally built on my research findings, which are primarily practical conclusions. I have presented the Hungarian situation through the binding court decisions, drawing special attention to the Hungarian sentencing practices and the factors that affect these.

Vulnerability, resilience, and rape: Uncovering the hidden work of police officers during rape investigations

Drawing on original empirical data comprising police interviews and case file analysis, this article seeks to better understand the policing responses to cases of rape and specifically, the ways in which officers assist victims in the context of two themes – encouraging engagement with the investigative process and ensuring victim safety and general welfare. This work – which we call ‘hidden work’ as it is often neglected in the research literature – involves victim care, multi-agency working, provision of practical assistance, along with efforts to protect victims from physical and psychological harm. This article reaffirms key observations in the existing literature that emphasise the importance of victim welfare and engagement as part of a police investigation. A focus on victim care can be seen as an end in itself but also as a strategy that may carry benefit to the police themselves in the pursuance of performance goals should a victim remain engaged with the criminal justice process. However, the central argument in this paper is that traditional measures of police performance, such as detection and arrest rates, miss a significant amount of police activity which are important to rape victims and that a broader range of considerations should be factored into discussion of police performance. This is suggested not to diminish or downplay the significance of traditional measures of performance, or indeed to minimise police shortcomings in these areas, but to facilitate a more nuanced discussion of some of the realities of investigative work in the complex field of sexual offences. The article concludes by arguing that much of this hidden work should be included in formal assessments of police performance alongside traditional key performance indicators.

A transdisciplinary approach for generating synthetic but realistic domestic sex trafficking networks

One of the major challenges associated with applying Operations Research (OR) models to disrupting human trafficking networks is the limited amount of reliable data sources readily available for public use, since operations are intentionally hidden to prevent detection, and data from known operations are often incomplete. To help address this data gap, we propose a network generator for domestic sex trafficking networks by integrating OR concepts and qualitative research. Multiple sources regarding sex trafficking in the upper Midwest of the United States have been triangulated to ensure that networks produced by the generator are realistic, including law enforcement case file analysis, interviews with domain experts, and a survivor-centered advisory group with first-hand knowledge of sex trafficking. The output models the relationships between traffickers, so-called “bottoms”, and victims. This generator allows operations researchers to access realistic sex trafficking network structures in a responsible manner that does not disclose identifiable details of the people involved. We demonstrate the use of output networks in exploring policy recommendations from max flow network interdiction with restructuring. To do so, we propose a novel conceptualization of flow as the ability of a trafficker to control their victims. Our results show the importance of understanding how sex traffickers react to disruptions, especially in terms of recruiting new victims.

Prioritising Children and Young People with Disability in Research About Domestic and Family Violence: Methodological, Ethical and Pragmatic Reflections

PurposeThe perspectives of children and young people with disability who experience domestic and family violence are under-researched, impeding the development of approaches that meet their needs. Knowledge gaps stem from the layered discursive positioning of disability, childhood/youth, or domestic and family violence in addition to the methodological, ethical and pragmatic complexity of research needed to understand their priorities and be attuned to their lived experience. This article explores methodological, ethical and practical challenges to centring their voices in research about domestic and family violence.MethodA conceptual framework of feminist disability theory and intersectionality informed our co-designed research, across three phases: (1) quantitative large-scale data linkage and case file analysis; (2) qualitative research with children and young people, their families and service providers and (3) stakeholder engagement workshops.ResultsWe reflect on how our research was able to prioritise the contextual agency of children and young people with disability, ways it could not, and other constraints.ConclusionChildren and young people with disability experiencing domestic and family violence hold an expert and unique vantage point on what happens to them. Amplifying their priorities for directing policy and organisational change requires more of researchers in terms of methods, but also more flexibility in how projects are funded to enable creativity and innovation. We call for collective attention to frameworks for supported decision-making and child ethics to progress inclusive research which recognises the importance of participation for children and young people with disability.

What Can We Learn from Police Data About Timeliness in Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Investigations in England and Wales?

The issue of timeliness in rape and other serious sexual offence investigations has been raised in a number of inspections and reviews, and there are policy imperatives to decrease delays, but there has been little exploration of police data to understand what contributes to them and enable practical recommendations or options. This paper explores what official data from two police forces participating in Operation Soteria Bluestone tell us about the timelines of these investigations, what this reveals about the gaps in policing data, and what additional knowledge can be gained from qualitative methodologies, in this instance case file analysis and case reviews.