“When elephants encounter traumatic or life-threatening situations, the rest of the herd will rally to protect and support the elephant affected,” Lane explained to the investigative and advocacy partners who just finished comparing their case notes about a criminal incident.
Lane, a family advocate and case manager at the Children’s Legacy Center (CLC), shares a new and unique animal fact with multidisciplinary teams before every forensic interview. He does this partly because of a practical need to test the functionality of the microphone and transmitter soon to be worn by the interviewer, but mainly to provide everyone in the room a moment of connection and distraction, albeit fleeting, before watching the day's real-time interview with a 7-year-old victim of abuse.
The CLC's Children's Advocacy Center offers forensic interviews for cases involving crimes against children or youth. Before implementing the CLC’s forensic interview process, children often had to recount their experiences between six to 11 times, exacerbating the trauma they had already endured.
In our child-centric facility, children now have the opportunity to share their account just once with our forensic interviewer. Meanwhile, a multidisciplinary team comprised of a law enforcement investigator, social worker, prosecutor, advocate, and physician observes the interview from our conference room. During the session, this team can communicate relevant questions to the interviewer through an earpiece. By adopting this approach, we aim to minimize the number of times children must relive their experiences, thereby significantly reducing the trauma they endure while also facilitating accountability for those responsible for harming them.
Sarah Murphy, Chief Deputy District Attorney and co-founder of the Children’s Legacy Center, emphasizes the significance of this approach. "Every individual involved, including local law enforcement, medical staff, Shasta County Children’s Services, Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, and Shasta Community Health Center, brings a unique lens and perspective to the table when examining interviews, victims, cases, and situations," she says.
The importance of having a trauma-informed facility investigating abuse against children and youth in North State cannot be overstated. Shasta County has nearly double the number of reported cases compared to the state of California (99.5 per 1,000 in Shasta County versus 52.9 in California, per kidsdata.org).
Childhood trauma and abuse have profound and enduring effects on individuals and their communities, leading to:
The Children’s Legacy Center’s “trauma-informed” approach to investigating child abuse is an attempt to reduce the damage caused from an incident. This approach involves recognizing the indicators of trauma, responding with sensitivity, support, and empowerment to promote healing, resilience, and recovery.
A tremendous amount of thoughtfulness goes into the trauma-informed approach. The décor is chosen with intentionality, from wall art to light fixtures, in order to create a safe, soft, and peaceful environment. Youth are given anxiety-reducing weighted stuffed animals during the interview. Most importantly, the number of times a child has to retell their story rarely exceeds one.
While the trauma-informed perspective is meant to provide a long-term positive impact, the short-term and practical results of this process cannot be understated. Through collaboration by multidisciplinary partners, the community saves approximately $1,000 per investigation. The joint efforts of investigative partners also lead to prosecution rates soaring by up to 97%, crucial for safeguarding our community and ensuring justice for victims of abuse.
According to Sergeant Mike DiMatteo of the Redding Police Department: “These different lenses allow and encourage members of the multidisciplinary team to see the situation in a different way, opening the possibility for unique and creative approaches and solutions. As a former detective, I appreciate that each of those viewpoints is important to ensure a case receives the best investigation that brings justice to victims.”
Lane’s trivia about the highly social and empathetic nature of elephant herds feels especially meaningful after observing the thoughtfulness in the forensic interview process. Just as elephants rely on their social bonds to navigate challenges and support one another, the community surrounding those impacted by trauma plays a critical role in their healing journey. Much like the protective embrace of an elephant herd, this supportive network ensures individuals are not left to face their trauma alone, but rather are enveloped in a nurturing environment that fosters hope and resilience.
