ABSTRACT
The parents of a murdered child, like all other bereaved, want to conquer their grief and end their pain. In the beginning they cannot find the time and energy needed to do so; they are too busy interacting with the police and other branches of the criminal justice system. The first step in dealing with the criminal justice system is dealing with the law enforcement officers investigating the murder. If these officers are sensitive to the parents' shock and pain, they can provide them with important emotional support. Despite the horror of the situation, interacting with officers who are kind and helpful can be beneficial to the parents. Communication between the parents and the police can be a thorny issue. The parents are in shock and are desperate to know who murdered their child. When a murder remains unsolved, the parents describe their experience with the police as being unsatisfactory.
