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Policing Advance Access originally published online on February 11, 2009
Policing 2009 3(1):89-99; doi:10.1093/police/pan083
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© The Authors 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CSF Associates: Publius, Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Infant Death Investigations Following High-Profile Unsafe Rulings: Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water?

James R. Vaughan* and Paula M. Kautt**

* James R. Vaughan, Chief Superintendent, Wiltshire Police, UK
** Paula M. Kautt, Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University, UK E-mail: p.m.kautt{at}lboro.ac.uk

Home Office data show that approximately 300 infants die each year under unexplained circumstances in England and Wales. Research estimates that a significant number of cases officially recorded as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are likely homicides. Yet, in recent years, several infanticide convictions were overturned on appeal, resulting in public outcry over how caregivers were tried for infanticide in cases of unexplained sudden infant death. This exploratory research investigates whether these unsafe cases influenced practitioner availability and wider child protection issues. It provides circumstantial evidence suggesting that infant death investigations may have become more difficult to undertake because of practitioner reaction to the unsafe cases.

The authors wish to acknowledge the helpful suggestions of Fiona Brookman.


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