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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	December 10, 2014 01:45 PM
From:	Representative Dom Costa
To:	All House members
Subject:	Child Abuse Training for Police Officers and the Minor Judiciary

In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation - House Bill 378 – to include suspected child abuse in the mandated training for police officers and the minor judiciary, such as our magisterial district judges. The new laws we have enacted in response to the tragic child abuse events of recent years can only be effective if those at the first point of contact with these cases are trained to recognize child abuse. Police officers and the minor judiciary need to be fully aware of the reporting requirements, as well as the full complement of resources available for effective forensic interviewing of abuse victims. Often, our police and magisterial judges are the place where an investigation can go well or go badly, and an investigation that goes badly at its inception sometimes cannot be effectively recovered. This training will ensure more favorable outcomes in these very important cases. Please join me in co-sponsoring this much needed legislation.

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