The
Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit is responsible for investigating and
prosecuting cases arising from incidents of sexual and physical abuse of
children. The unit is also responsible for providing assistance to
municipal police departments in sexual assault cases involving adult
victims. All investigations are coordinated with municipal police
agencies and the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. The
unit maintains a twenty-four hour, three hundred sixty five days a
year on call schedule to handle sexually or physically abused children.
Obtaining proper treatment for the victim is a priority along with doing
a comprehensive and thorough investigation.
Because
of the reputation of expertise in this field the Sex
Crimes/Child Abuse Unit are often called upon to instruct other law
enforcement agencies. This unit also provides programs for various civic
and public audiences. In
addition, the unit is actively involved with the Somerset County
Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) which meets monthly to review and monitor
cases involving children with members representing medical, social work, legal, mental
health and law enforcement community, which provides guidance and help
to the victim and their families, during this most difficult of times.
Our
child interview rooms have been designed to put young victims at ease.
The rooms are equipped with video monitoring system so other interested
parties, i.e., social workers, who have their own investigative needs,
can monitor the interviews of children. This eliminates the need for
multiple interviews and it also reduces the number of people who are in
the room with the victim during the interview.
The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office has
also organized a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) to respond to
sexual assaults upon victims age thirteen and older. The team includes
law enforcement officers, victim advocates and a sexual assault nurse
examiner (SANE). The team goals are to address the victim's physical,
emotional needs as well as protect the victim from further harm. Police
officers will begin a criminal investigation while the victim advocate
provides short-term crisis intervention. The SANE is trained in the
collection of evidence and qualified to testify in court.
Representatives from each of the disciplines meet on an advisory board
once a month to review team activations.
The
Sex Crimes/ Child Abuse Unit remains committed to the
mission to protect our children and their families and to train
municipal police officers and Division of Family Youth and Family
Services workers on how to approach and deal with these delicate and
sensitive and serious matters.
