Child Abuse, Child Exploitation, and Criminal Justice Responses

There are few things is our society that provoke such raw emotions as that of child abuse. Most people, justifiably so, are outraged when they hear of allegations of abuse, and their anger is intensified as they learn of what seems to be an inappropriate criminal justice response. However, the debate on child abuse usually happens though visceral emotions rather than facts. Taking emotions out of a child abuse debate is much easier said than done, but it is of utmost importance to identify the facts. When the reader has a better understanding of the scope of child abuse, they can become more objective but still maintain their passion about ways to protect this vulnerable and targeted population.

Child Abuse, Child Exploitation, and Criminal Justice Responses is unique in that it offers the reader contributing facts based not only through scholarly research, but practical experience working in field, from this wonderful collaboration of criminal investigator and forensic nurse. Thus providing much personal insight and demonstrating how these two areas of expertise can join forces to achieve the objective of working as a team to facilitate safeguarding children.



The authors also presents the research on this complex yet worthy topic by identifying the unique challenges of investigating these offenses while ultimately bringing the perpetrators to justice, and presenting the research from various perspectives of child abuse including both national and international issues and responses.

Daniel Murphy, MJA, is an Assistant Professor of Criminology at the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, VA. Professor Murphy has been teaching at colleges and universities for over 14 years. His areas of specialization are police policy and procedures, child abuse, juvenile justice and victims. Professor Murphy created and teaches a course on child abuse which has been recognized as an academic resource through the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC).He has written other books and articles on the subject of child abuse and exploitation, including Child Abuse: Today’s Issues (2016- with Kimberly McCabe). Professor Murphy has lectured nationally on topics including but not limited to “Child Abuse in the Military” and “How to Measure Emotional Abuse”. Professor Murphy recently completed research on evaluating the child abuse mandatory reporting laws and will be presenting his findings at the Southern Criminal Justice Conference. Prior to teaching, he served as a police officer in New England for 21 years where he specialized in the investigations of child exploitation. Officer Murphy received the “Officer of the Year” award twice during his tenure in law enforcement.

April Goin Rasmussen MSN, SANE-A, SANE-P is a Registered Nurse with the Commonwealth of Virginia and Forensic Nurse Examiner. Rasmussen has been a nurse for 25 years with a primary focus in emergency and forensic nursing. Rasmussen is an adjunct professor for Criminal Forensics at University of Lynchburg. She has lectured nationally on the subject of children’s advocacy and child sexual exploitation.