Effective Investigation of Child Homicide and Suspicious Deaths

Book excerpt: Crimes against children are some of the most serious and demanding investigations that a police force can be involved with. It is an extremely specialised crime area, with its own legislation, case law, guidance and crucial multi-agency working. This book offers a practical operational guide to managing the investigation of child death, and sets out the protocols and procedures relating to these deaths, from sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) to suspicious cases and homicide. Following the death of Baby Peter and the subsequent report by Lord Laming in 2009, Effective Investigation of Child Homicide and Suspicious Deaths outlines the revised statutory guidance on inter-agency working. By bringing together the key legislation, guidance, policies and procedures, along with operational options and background information, the author creates an indispensable resource for those tasked with this challenging but essential work. Drawing on his own extensive experiences, he outlines the relevant procedures of inquests and the criminal and family courts, and summarises the specific offences relating to child deaths such as infanticide, familial homicide, procuring an abortion, and child destruction. The role of expert medical evidence is explained, as are the procedures relating to forensic post-mortems and forensic samples and tests, with contributions from key medical professionals framing the complex and technical within a more practical setting. A reminder of the nuances of child death investigations is present in the striking but sensitive inclusion of personal accounts from the families of victims. Effective Investigation of Child Homicide and Suspicious Deaths forms part of the Blackstone's Practical Policing Series. The series consists of practical guides containing clear and detailed explanations of the relevant legislation, police procedure and practice, accompanied by case studies, illustrative diagrams and useful checklists.