Training Overview
Day 1 – AM
Dynamics of Domestic Child Prostitution/Trafficking
More than one million children are reported missing, listed as a runaway, or are a throwaway each year. A child’s potential for victimization increases with each runaway incident and each day they are on the streets. During this presentation participants will be provided with information regarding the scope of the problem of domestic prostitution/trafficking of children across the country, dynamics of child prostitution/trafficking, characteristics and profile of the victim/child prostitute, and the offender/pimp. The pathway to victimization and recruitment techniques will also be discussed. This presentation will define the High Risk Victim and demonstrate the correlation and commonalities between the chronic runaway, repeat victims of sexual abuse, the child victimized through prostitution. Participants will receive a unique and rare look–a first-hand, insider’s view–of the how children are victimized through prostitution from the victim’s and the perpetrator’s/pimp’s, perspective.
- Scope of the problem, framing the problem locally
- Profile of a child victim of prostitution, pathway to victimization
- Profile of a pimp and the recruitment process
- Identifying/Locating
Day 1 – PM
Conducting the Victim of Child Prostitution Interview
During this presentation participants will be provided with information relating to the interview process for child victims of Domestic Prostitution, as well as the recovery interview for runaway and throwaway children, and how these interviews are different from traditional child sexual exploitation interviews. Participants will be provided with information on how to set the stage for a successful interview to encourage and enable full disclosure. The investigator “mindset” will be discussed and it’s effect on the interview. Common barriers to full disclosure by the child victim of domestic prostitution will be discussed, to include techniques to overcome barriers created by the pimp’s grooming.
- Interviewing High Risk Victims and Child victims of Domestic Prostitution
- The interview as the foundation of a successful investigation, prosecution
- Challenges to a successful
- Overcoming victim rationalizations/barriers to the interview
Day 2 – AM
Investigative/Intervention Strategies/Techniques -- "Making the Child's Statement Real"
Participants will learn how these investigations and intervention differentiate from traditional child sexual abuse investigations, how to identify investigative challenges/issues related to these cases, and overcome these challenges through non-traditional proactive investigative techniques. Investigative techniques/strategies will be given to corroborate the investigation, “Making the Child’s Statement Real.” Case example will be utilized to illustrate where mistakes were made and successful investigative techniques worked.
- Investigative Challenges/Issues
- Types of Investigations
- Changing Investigative Models/techniques
- Identifying and Locating
- Corroborating the Investigation
- Suspect Investigation
Day 2 – PM
Interactive Investigative Workshop/Module
The Interactive Investigative Workshop/Module is intended to take the participant beyond the traditional lecture and case studies and goes beyond the short exercises provided at the end of other lectures. It gives both the new and experienced investigator/team member an opportunity to apply new information learned, or to share their experience with other members of the group or class. This workshop reinforces and enhances team interaction with CPS, law enforcement, prosecution and medical. Additionally, this Interactive training will demonstrate and reinforce the need to understand the roles and responsibilities of each team member from the victim recovery through the victim and successful completion of the investigation. Instead of having one instructor, now every participant is an instructor, each offering a different perspective based on their own experience, program, and training.
Participants in this training/workshop are divided into investigative teams, to conduct mock “investigations” (victim interview and corroboration). Actual cases are used for the scenarios with every detail of the investigation broken down. Each investigative team will be given an offense summary and will develop an investigative plan based on the information provided. Facilitators/Monitors hand out leads and help guide the investigation. Teams will determine what criminal offense has occurred, if any, and what investigative steps are required to corroborate the victim's statement from the victim interview through the satisfactory completion of the investigation and child’s placement. At the end of the exercise an in depth discussion will be facilitated with the participants to discuss their investigative processes.
Training Faculty
Sergeant Byron A. Fassett has been with the Dallas Police Department for 27 years. He served as Patrol Officer and a Detective before moving to the High Risk Victims and Trafficking Unit in 1990 where he has specialized in conducting investigations involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of children for the past 18 years. The Child Exploitation Squad, which Sergeant Fassett is responsible for supervising handles approximately 1,100 cases a year, consists of 15 detectives, and is divided into 3 teams; the Investigations Team, the High Risk Victims and Trafficking Team, (HRVT) and the Internet Crimes Against Children Team (ICAC). These teams investigate; child abductions, child pornography, victimization of children through prostitution, sexual assaults of children by non-family members/strangers, Internet facilitated sexual abuse of children, and other forms of sexual abuse and exploitation of children. He has been designated as a Special Investigator for the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Texas and a Special Deputy for United States Marshall's Service. <more>
Detective Cathy de La Paz graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice before joining the Dallas Police Department, where she is now a 23-year veteran, assigned to the High Risk Victims and Trafficking Unit. During her career Detective de La Paz has worked as a patrol officer and as a detective in the Narcotics and Internal Affairs Divisions. Detective de La Paz is now the lead detective of the High Risk Victims and Trafficking Unit or HRVT unit, which specializes in investigations involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of high-risk/chronic runaways, the victimization of children through prostitution and cases involving children who have had repeated reports of victimization. Additionally the HRVT team proactively identifies cases with children who have repeat/multiple runaways in order to identify current or past victimization. <more>
Continuing Education
For more information about continuing education credit, please call (305) 547-6839.
About the Training Organizers
Kristi House is Miami-Dade County’s Child Advocacy Center, located in the heart of Miami’s regional medical and court systems. Housed in the child-friendly Orlowitz-Lee Child Advocacy Center collocated with other members of the multi-disciplinary team, Kristi House provides coordination of investigation, prosecution and treatment systems in an effort to protect children from further trauma. Kristi House began its initiative in commercially sexually exploited children in 2007 with the leadership of Sandy Skelaney.
Training Site - University of Miami School of Law
1311 Miller Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Map & Directions
Registration
$200 for both days, which will include parking. Some scholarships available; request on the registration form.
Deadline for registration: July 18, 2008.
Secure online registration
Cancellation Policy
Written cancellations received at least 5 days prior to the conference will be refunded, less a $50 administrative fee. No refunds can be made if cancellation is received within 5 days of the training. Registrations are transferable. Please advise Kristi House of any attendee changes.
Contact Us
For any questions or further details about the conference, please contact Ms. Sze Lee at Kristi House, (305) 547-6839 or slee@kristihouse.org.
