Survey on

Children’s Advocacy Center

Outcomes

Prepared by

Theodore P. Cross, Andrew White, Lisa Jones, and Monique Simone

Crimes Against Children Research Center

University of New Hampshire

CACs

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) aim to change outcomes for children, families, agencies and communities, but their impact has never adequately studied. CACs are complex programs with many different possible outcomes, not all of which can be examined in one study.

The Study

Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Crimes Against Children Research Center is beginning a multi-year national evaluation of CAC outcomes. In this survey, we are asking experts in the field –professionals working in or with CACs – to help us identify which outcomes are most important. We are surveying 20-50 people in each of 5 communities with CACs. This information will inform the development of measures for the national evaluation.

No Risks

We anticipate no risks from completing this survey, and think most participants will find it an informative professional learning experience.

Voluntary & Confidential

Yes. Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential. You are free to complete or not complete this survey, and you may discontinue completing the survey at any time. We would appreciate it if you could answer every question, but please feel free not to answer any questions if you choose. We will provide the CAC and other community agencies with the results of our analyses of these data, but we will not share your individual survey results with the CAC, any other agency or any other person outside the research team at the University of New Hampshire. Your responses and degree of participation/non-participation will have no bearing on your relationship with the CAC or any other community agency.

Results of This Study

We will provide the CAC and other community agencies with the results of our analyses of these data, but we will not share your individual survey results with the CAC, any other agency or any other person outside the research team at the University of New Hampshire. We also plan to publish the results of the survey in children’s’ services publications. (If you would like more information about the evaluation, check out www.unh.edu/ccrc/projects/national_evaluation.htm , or contact Ted Cross, using the contact information below).

For More Information

If you have questions about the research, please contact Dr. Ted Cross, Project Director, at (603)-862-0576 or . If you have any questions or concerns about your experience or your rights as a participant in this research, please contact Dr. Cross or the Office of Sponsored Research at the University of New Hampshire, 603-862-2001.


The Survey

The following charts list multiple outcomes for three different groups of participants (children and families, agencies, and communities), each at two time points (investigation and post-investigation).

Investigation refers to outcomes at or near the time of investigation. Post-investigation refers to outcomes that occur weeks to years later. Thus there are six categories – each on a separate page – in which to rate outcomes. Outcomes are phrased in terms of the advantages of CACs over non-CACs.

We would like you, as a CAC expert, to tell us how important each outcome is. An “important” outcome is one that should be a high priority for your CAC to aim to achieve. An outcome can be less important because it has less value, or because it is unrealistic or inappropriate for a CAC to try to achieve it. Please respond regarding the importance for the CAC in your community.

Completing The Survey

Outcomes are currently listed in random order within category. Please rate all the outcomes, page by page. Pilot testing suggests that the survey should take you no more than 30 minutes. Your input is greatly appreciated.

STEP 1 Please review each outcome on a page (e.g., Children and Families, Investigation Outcomes). After you have looked over all of the outcomes in a category, select the one you think would be most important for measuring the impact of CACs. Give it a score of “100” in the “Score” column. Note that we give you the opportunity to list your own outcomes on each page.

STEP 2 Now pick the outcome on the page that would be least important to you and give it a score between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. For example, if it is half as important, place the number "50" in the score column. Or, if the category is of absolutely no importance, give it a "0" in the score column.

STEP 3 Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important. This means that you should assign a score to each of the remaining outcomes with any number that falls between “100” and the number you gave to your least important category. Ties are okay, but try to vary your ratings at least somewhat. When you are finished, each outcome should have a number in the score column.

STEP 4 When you have finished a page, go on to the next page and repeat Steps 1 through 3. Continue following this process until you have completed the survey. Feel free to make notes in the margins if this would clarify your answers.

STEP 5 Please answer the questions about your affiliation and familiarity with CACs on page 9. Also, please feel free to add comments on page 10.

STEP 6 Return the survey by January 12, 2001 in the enclosed, self-addressed, Business Reply envelope to:

Ted Cross, Ph.D.

Project Director,

National CAC Evaluation

Crimes Against Children Research Center

126 Horton Social Science Center

University of New Hampshire

Durham, NH 03824

Thank you for your help with the survey! You have contributed to developing important knowledge about CACs!

1

November 2000

RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Child and Family Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.

Investigation Outcomes:

/ Importance:

Fewer interviewers

/ ______

Fewer repetitive interviews

/ ______

Fewer interview settings

/ ______

Shorter interviews

/ ______

More effective interviews

/ ______

More thorough investigations

/ ______

Fewer medical exams

/ ______

Decreased discomfort/stress for family and child during investigation

/ ______

Child feels supported by someone on team

/ ______

Non-offending parent feels supported by someone on team

/ ______

Non-offending parent understands system better

/ ______

Non-offending parent cooperates more

/ ______

Non-offending parent feels more respected.

/ ______

Increased availability of needed services during investigation

/ ______
Increased use of needed services during investigation. / ______
Prompt delivery of services during investigation. / ______
Greater child/non-offending family member satisfaction with the participating systems during investigation. / ______
Fewer families feeling as though they are "falling between the cracks" / ______
Children have greater credibility. / ______
Better access to legal expertise and advice for child and family. / ______
Other (specify:)______/ ______


RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Child and Family Post-Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.

Investigation Outcomes:

/ Importance:

Children experience…

Decreased stress

/ ______

Decreased mental health problems

/ ______

Greater sense of empowerment

/ ______

Greater satisfaction following investigation

/ ______

Greater fairness and justice in the process

/ ______

Greater fairness and justice in the case outcome

/ ______

Non-offending family members experience….

Decreased stress

/ ______
Decreased mental health problems / ______
Greater sense of empowerment / ______
Greater satisfaction following investigation / ______
Greater fairness and justice in the process / ______
Greater fairness and justice in the case outcome / ______
Children have fewer court appearances / ______
Children have fewer out-of-home placements / ______
Increased availability of needed services following investigation. / ______
Increased use of needed services following investigation / ______
Children are less likely to experience repeat abuse / ______
Other (specify:)______/ ______


RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Agency Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.

Investigation Outcomes:

/ Importance:

Faster first response time following report

/ ______

Faster completion time for investigations

/ ______

Increased face-to-face contact among team members (planning investigative actions, discussing the case)

/ ______

Increased case information shared among agencies

/ ______

Increased frequency of inter-agency communication

/ ______

Increased joint activities (joint parent interviews, joint suspect interviews, combined police-social worker home visits, etc.)

/ ______

Increased availability of needed expertise

/ ______

Accurate decisions about child abuse allegations

/ ______

Greater investigator confidence in decisions about allegations

/ ______

More appropriate decisions about case dispositions

/ ______

Improved coordination w/ domestic violence investigations

/ ______
More interviews observed by multiple disciplines / ______
More accurate/less legally challengeable medical findings / ______
Better location for observation or videotaping of interviews / ______
Improved quality of evidence / ______
More effective use of local protocols for investigation and interviewing / ______
Increased understanding and knowledge of protocol / ______
Decreased burnout for investigators / ______
Better understanding and satisfaction with other agencies by investigators / ______
Other (specify:)______/ ______


RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Agency Post-Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.

Investigation Outcomes:

/ Importance:

Increased number or % of at-risk children protected

/ ______

Increased number or % of substantiated cases filed for prosecution

/ ______

Wider range of cases filed for prosecution

/ ______

Increased number or % of indictments on filings

/ ______

Increased number or % of child abuse charges/indictments for arraignment or presented to Grand Jury

/ ______

Increased number or % of non-child abuse charges/indictments

/ ______

Increased number or % of guilty pleas

/ ______
Increased number or % of convictions at trial / ______
Increased number or % of dependency filings the Juvenile or Family Court supports. / ______
Increased number or % of court ordered intervention. / ______
Increased number or % of arrests / ______
Increased number or % of confessions / ______
Increased number or % of restraining orders issued by court. / ______
Shorter time between referral and criminal justice disposition / ______
Continued communication between treating mental health profession and team after investigation. / ______
Other (specify:)______/ ______


RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Community Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.

Investigation Outcomes:

/ Importance:

More resources (financial, equipment, staffing, expertise) for investigation

/ ______

More program components of effective team investigation

/ ______

Better coordination of investigations

/ ______

Greater adherence to best practice standards

/ ______

Development of formal protocols and interagency agreements

/ ______

More specialized joint training.

/ ______

Development of formal cross-agency peer review and videotape interview review.

/ ______

More extensive and better quality training for community professionals

/ ______

Increased social support for investigators

/ ______

Increased morale and confidence for investigators

/ ______

Better relationships of professionals (teachers, doctors etc.) with investigatory agencies

/ ______

Increased uniformity in media relations

/ ______

Reduced public criticism of investigation

/ ______

Other (specify:)______

/ ______


RATE THE OUTCOMES SEPARATELY FOR EACH PAGE

Community Post-Investigation Outcomes

On a scale from 0-100, please score the CAC outcomes on this page based on how important you think they are for the CAC in your community. Give a score of “100” to the outcome that is most important to you. Score the outcome that is least important to you between "0" and "100" based on how important it is relative to your most important category. Now rate each of the other outcomes on the page relative to the outcomes you chose as most and least important.