 |
 |
|
 |
The Unit consists of specially trained Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys and Child Advocates who insure that children and other special need victims are professionally and respectfully treated. All of the Unit's cases are vertically prosecuted (the same Assistant Prosecuting Attorney handles all stages of the prosecution) whenever possible.
|
|
Among the cases that are handled by the Child Abuse Unit are:
- Assaults, physical abuse, or sexual abuse of children 12 or younger (The age limit applies to the age of the complainant at the time of the warrant request, not at the time of the incident)
- Sexual assaults of victims between the ages of 13 and 15 years old (The age limit applies to the age of the complainant at the time of the warrant request, not at the time of the incident)
- Individuals with a mental impairment
- Individuals with other special needs, such as sight, speech, or hearing impairments
- Internet crimes involving sexual abuse
- Homicides of children 12 years and younger
- Cases where a child 12 or younger is a necessary witness at exam or trial
- Cases where an adult leaves a loaded gun accessible to a child whether or not there is any injury or death
- Cases where a child is left alone in a motor vehicle
- Individually selected cases that do not meet the above criteria, but need similar special attention.
To report a child abuse case the following steps must be taken:
- The crime must be reported in the city where the crime occurred. If the crime happened in Detroit, it should be reported in the district where the crime occurred.
- A police investigator will contact you regarding the report and do the following:
- Personally interview the child victim or arrange a Kids—TALK Program interview
- Complete other necessary investigation
- Determine whether a warrant request should be submitted to the Prosecutor's Office
- When a warrant request is received by the Prosecutor's Office, a specially trained child abuse prosecutor will review the warrant and do the following:
- Assign a Child Advocate to the case
- Interview the child victim
- Determine whether the offender should be charged with a crime, and if so, which crime(s)
- If the prosecutor authorizes the warrant, the case begins.
Child Advocates give support to the child and family members and also provide information about:
- Court dates
- Court procedures
- Your rights
- Counseling referrals
Contact Information
Prosecutor's Office Child Abuse Unit
|
313-224-8082 or
313-224-5857
|
Prosecutor's Office Juvenile Court Division
|
313-833-3300 or
313-833-3107
|
Child Protective Services
|
1-800-716-2234
|
Detroit Police Department Child Abuse Unit
|
313-596-5329
|
| Detroit Police Department Sex Crimes Unit |
313-596-1950 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What do I do if I learn my child has been sexually or physically abused?
A. Report it to the police in the city where it happened. If it happened in Detroit, report it in the district where the abuse happened.
Q. My child just told me that he/she was sexually abused. Should I take my child to a doctor or hospital for a medical exam?
A. If the abuse happened within the last 72 hours, take the child to a hospital ER immediately for an examination. If the abuse is more than 72 hours old, your child does need a medical check-up but not at an emergency room. Have him/her checked for HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, or other injuries at Children's Hospital and St. John Hospital who have doctors who specialize in child sexual assault.
Q. What will happen after I make a police report?
A. An investigator will contact you to set up an interview with you and your child. Until then, do not question your child about the abuse, but be available to listen if your child wants to talk.
Q. Who will interview my child?
A. If your child is under age 13 and he/she was sexually assaulted, he/she will be interviewed at Kids—TALK, a professional child-interviewing program. If your child is older than 12, or was a victim of physical abuse, a police officer will interview the child and then an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney may interview your child. In either case, your child will be treated kindly and with respect. If the case goes to court, you and your child will meet an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and a Child Advocate who are specially trained to take children to court.
Q. My child and I need counseling. Where can I go?
A. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Child Advocates are available to give you referrals for counseling in your area. Call (313) 224-8082 or (313) 224-5857 and ask to speak to a Child Advocate.
Q. What if I don't want to prosecute the perpetrator?
A. While your feelings will be taken into consideration, the decision to prosecute is the responsibility of the Prosecutor's Office.
Q. What should I do if I've reported the abuse to the police, but have not heard from them?
A. If the crime happened in Detroit and it is a sex crime case, call the Sex Crimes Unit at 313-596-1950. If it is a physical abuse case, call the Child Abuse Unit at 313-596-5329. If the crime did not happen in Detroit, call the police department where the crime happened and ask for the detective bureau.
Q. Who can I call if I have other concerns?
A. Call the Prosecutor's Office Child Abuse Unit and ask to speak to a Child Advocate. Again, the numbers to call are 313-224-8082 or 313-224-5857.
|
|
|
|
|
