Sheriff forms crimes against children unit

By Cindy Landrum  

AUGUST 18, 2011 11:11 a.m. (1)

Investigating a crime with a child victim is different than investigating a crime where the victim is an adult.

A young child might not understand the questions an investigator would normally ask an adult.

They may not know the words to describe what happened to them.

And some investigators are just not comfortable dealing with children.

That’s why the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office has established a crimes against children unit which will investigate all sexual assaults against children, child abuse and child neglect cases.

“Children are brutally honest,” said Sheriff Steve Loftis. “But they may not have the words or vocabulary to explain what happened to them.”

The four investigators assigned to the unit will have special training in questioning child victims, Loftis said.

The unit will work closely with the Julie Valentine Center and other agencies. It is based out of County Square and the offices are more child-friendly than the Law Enforcement Center.

The investigators assigned to the unit previously worked with juvenile victims in other units.

One of the investigators suggested a unit devoted solely to child victims be formed to provide a higher degree of service to the victims, Loftis said.

“There is no more innocent victim of a crime than a child,” Heather Hubert said.