Powell shows how defenseless children are, without protection, nowhere to turn, within an adult-only legal system. He battles with unbelieving courts, outraged politicians and inexperienced prosecutors while watching many offenders slip justice to continue their pursuits. He realizes that he is not only pursuing a crime, but chipping away at a massive wall of social denial. Parents of victims often refuse to support their children or keep them in therapy, unable to accept what has happened. Incestuous fathers continue their activities even after conviction, often empowered by their silent partners and spouses. Generations of incestuous grandfathers, fathers and sons, and whole families are upholding the secret. Neighbors and friends testify for the offender, in spite of compelling evidence of the crime. There are parents in collusion, and partners in relationship whose dependence takes priority over the welfare of their children. Almost inevitably, Powell runs into cases were the victims of nearly a decade ago have turned child sexual offender. Even more disturbing, he sees a shift in the age of both sexual offenders and their victims. Child offenders are getting younger and victimizing age mates. The impact can be seen in the escalating violence among our youth, violence that experts have directly traced to the increase in child molestation. Not only do juvenile crime figures rise, but a growing number of young victims turn sexual offender acting out their own victimization on age mates as young as five years old.

prosecutor's office, Social Services, private therapists and psychologists. Based on a Florida program, he initiates the Teddy Bear Program to offer victim support. He speaks frequently before groups of parents, to promote awareness and specifically to solicit support from the parents of victims, and create a climate that encourages young victims to come forward.

Despite increased awareness and prosecution of the crime, the legacy of child sexual abuse remains ignored and untreated. Beyond the horror and drama of Powell's experiences, there is the underlying hope expressed by the young victim who has learned to rise above it; the occasional offender who truly showed remorse; the family that embraced its child and fought for what was right. Powell confronts the problems of child sexual abuse and parental and social denial with honesty and insight into his own conflicts and emotions. His impressive roster of cases, handled professionally and with integrity, serves as a backdrop to illustrate the broader issues and intricacies of this crime. Indeed, enhancements and melodrama are not necessary in this memoir. What Powell has seen speaks for itself in a voice as profound and personal as any tale of heroics.

Powell's approach, the detective's perspective, his credentials and carefully cultivated experience, draw this book out of one small town into the national mainstream. The depth and value of his story dispel the belief that sexual abuse is limited to certain circumstances or certain locations. In fact, many of Powell's investigations extended into other states, further supporting the theory that this crime has far-reaching ramifications. Powell's story does not allow the reader to escape into the myths of "this is an isolated case," or "this only happens in big cities."