New handbook provides guidance on a consistent approach and multidisciplinary cooperation in the investigation of crimes involving children and young people

The National Police Board has published an updated handbook on the investigation of crimes involving children and young people. The handbook is intended to serve as a collective guide for investigating crimes against children as well as crimes suspected to have been committed by children. The guide can be downloaded from the police website.

The original handbook, the Handbook on the investigation of violent and sexual crimes against children, was published in Finnish on 16 November 2021. The update now also takes into account children who are suspects or witnesses, together with other types of offences besides violent and sexual crimes. 

The handbook has been updated as part of the Barnahus project coordinated by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), one of the goals of which is to ensure and develop child-friendly, high-quality legal processes while taking into account multi-authority cooperation.

Taking the child’s best interests into account, high-quality investigations, and multidisciplinary cooperation

The investigation of crimes involving children requires the investigating authority to have special expertise. The purpose of this handbook is to support high-quality investigation that places particular emphasis on multidisciplinary cooperation and the best interests of the child. Consistent procedures promote the equal treatment of children and the realisation of a fair trial, and expedite the investigation. Taking the best interests of the child into account in the investigation of crimes involving children requires a comprehensive understanding of the situation, which can only be achieved through multidisciplinary cooperation. 

Handbook contents and target group 

The handbook supplements the National Police Board’s existing guidelines and regulations with concrete operating instructions. Efforts have been made to raise the awareness of the investigating authorities regarding the particular characteristics of the investigation of crimes involving children and young people, and the need for a sensitive approach through diverse texts written by a range of professionals. The various chapters of the handbook have been written by numerous professionals from the police, the Police University College, university hospitals, other authorities and the third sector.

Availability and use

The handbook has been translated also into Swedish. The handbook is published only in electronic format to make it easier to update. Like the original handbook, the updated version is also publicly available to make it easily accessible to both the authorities and the general public. Although the guide is primarily intended for authorities conducting criminal investigations, it also serves as educational and background material for, for example, individuals who may encounter underage victims of crime in their work. 

Download the handbook from our website: poliisi.fi/julkaisut (In Finnish)