Child Abuse Investigation Team

Child Abuse Investigation Teams (also called Child Abuse Investigation Units) are units of police forces in the United Kingdom which investigate a wide range of offences relating to children. Stephen House is the current head of the directorate. The SCD also replaced AMIP. Also the units in the SCD family are far and wide they basically deal with any major crime that needs to be investigated by more than just a London borough CID team.

CAIT Objectives:

• Thorough and unrelenting investigation into all related cases.
• Ensuring a secure conviction for the guilty.
• Further prevention of abuse.
• Supplying aftercare to victims such as councilling or physciatrist.
• Promoting awareness of abuse.
• Helping victims rebuild lives.
• Monitoring known abusers.

In the Metropolitan Police Service, the unit is called the Child Abuse Investigation Command and is part of the Specialist Crime Directorate. There are 19 borough Child Abuse Investigation Teams, and five specialist sections:

• The Major Investigation Teams investigate child homicide and complex abuse enquiries within a family environment.
• The Paedophile Unit investigates the activities of organised paedophiles and those who manufacture and distribute paedophile material/child pornography.
• The Hi-Tech Crime Unit provides technical support and investigates Internet-based child abuse.
• The Safeguarding Children and Development Unit provides information and support to the MPS on prevention and partnership initiatives and works with the London Child Protection Committee. It also supports the Safeguarding Children Independent Advisory Group and other community partnerships in prevention and education within distinct communities in London.
• The Ports Safeguarding Team are a small team of detectives based at Heathrow Airport working closely with the UK Border Agency dealing with child protection issues, which include child trafficking, child abduction and the monitoring of high-risk sex offenders entering and leaving the UK.

References