MACA 2026 Annual Conference Keynote

Stronger Together: Coordinated Justice in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This keynote presentation will draw on over two decades of Dr. Stephanie Block’s research. She will summarize studies from an analysis of 500 child sexual abuse cases, including what impacts case trajectories from investigation through prosecution for both prosecutorial and non prosecutorial recommendations.

Attendees will gain insights into the roles of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), non-offending caregivers, and community stakeholders in shaping justice outcomes, including the decision making processes that relate to case progression. Quantitative and qualitative findings from Dr. Block’s ongoing interdisciplinary studies will explore how caregiver support, disclosure timelines, and systemic coordination impact legal responses and family experiences. This keynote will offer potential strategies to strengthen coordinated justice responses and improve outcomes for children and families.

Dr. Stephanie Block is a Professor in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Dr. Block earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of California, Davis, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s Center for Developmental Science. Her research focuses on child maltreatment and encompasses her training in both developmental and applied science, as well as public health.

Dr. Block’s work focuses on children in the legal system, the effect of trauma on children’s wellbeing and memory for emotional events, and the prevention of child maltreatment. Her recent work was funded by the National Institute of Justice and examined prosecutorial decisions in cases of child sexual abuse.