4 hours ago

Maegan Glynn

DB5- Investigating Child Abuse

If I were to pick a specialized field, I would choose child abuse. Someone has to advocate for those whom can't do it themselves. If child abuse is happening, someone thorough needs to step in so that the child can be taken from that environment.

With regards to potential cases of child abuse and neglect, the purpose of the investigation is to determine if a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm (a disposition), reduce the risk and increase the safety of the child, and determine the need for services to support the family. (Child Welfare). These types of investigations are important because it is very unfortunate, for children, because they can't defend themselves in these situations.

After investigation, the child(ren) can be taken out of the environment they are in, and placed in a safe and caring environment. From Genesis "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:3, ESV)

I think people should specialize. I think this because it gives that person more knowledge on the subject to where they can be an "expert" rather than just have general knowledge of it. There are advantages and disadvantages to specialization.

The advantage, of course, is that you can more easily identify segments of the population that would most likely need your specialized service.

It also gives you the opportunity to focus in on a specific subject, start boning up on the subject and become an expert at it. By specializing, you are identifying yourself as an expert in a certain area. You'll stand out from the investigative crowd. On the other hand, narrow specialization becomes restrictive to the amount of business you can capture. (Thomas, n.d)

Investigation. (n.d.).

Thomas, R. (n.d.). INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALIZATIONS AND HOW TO ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT.

The field of investigations has many avenues of specialty. The one type that I would pick if given the choice would be domestic violence. Domestic violence is a broad term but specificly is applied to intimate partner violence (Valiulis, pg. 124, 2014). One of the needs an investigator needs to do is locate and apprehend the perpetrator (Osterburg, 2013). The field of investigations in a sense has a scope built in because the perpetrator is already known and the victim who also acts as a witness has intimate detail of the offender.

The intimate detail is important to me because I like to get to the detail of scenarios and be able to sit and sift through the information. The preparation for being a domestic violence detective would require taking classes in general investigations, shadowing of domestic violence detectives and learning reading of case law as it can be applied currently.

The need for specialization is important because it allows a person to truly become an expert in their subject matter and not be so diversified that they lose out. In Proverbs 4:25 focus is admonished when the writer saysm "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you" (Proverbs 4:25, ESV)

Reference

Osterburg, J. W. (2013). Criminal Investigation, 7th Edition. [MBS Direct].

Valiulis, C. (2014). Domestic violence. Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law 15(1), 123-154.