Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol

This qualitative study protocol outlines a co-creation project between researchers and the Swedish police to improve cross-functional collaboration in online child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations. Online CSA cases are complex and require extensive collaboration between prosecutors, IT forensic exp...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oscar Rantatalo, Ola Lindberg, Alva Lindholm, Robert Lundmark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-04-01
Series:International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251333592
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850142690003386368
author Oscar Rantatalo
Ola Lindberg
Alva Lindholm
Robert Lundmark
author_facet Oscar Rantatalo
Ola Lindberg
Alva Lindholm
Robert Lundmark
author_sort Oscar Rantatalo
collection DOAJ
description This qualitative study protocol outlines a co-creation project between researchers and the Swedish police to improve cross-functional collaboration in online child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations. Online CSA cases are complex and require extensive collaboration between prosecutors, IT forensic expertise, and investigators with expertise in child sexual offenses. Despite the recognized need for cross-functional teamwork, research evaluating methods for such collaboration in crime investigations, especially in online CSA, is scarce. This project, funded by the Swedish research agency FORTE (2023-00085), addresses this gap by employing the ‘double diamond’ co-creation framework (discovery, define, develop, deliver) to co-create, implement, and evaluate a team-based intervention within three online CSA units in northern Sweden. Data collection will involve semi-structured interviews ( n ≈ 35), participant observations of workshops, workshop appraisals, document analysis, and analysis of organizational metrics. The project aims to: (1) identify challenges and potentials for cross-functional teamwork in online CSA investigations; (2) co-design a team-based intervention to address identified needs; and (3) evaluate the intervention’s impact on efficiency and organizational outcomes. By working collaboratively with police practitioners throughout the research process, this project aims to generate practical and sustainable solutions to enhance the effectiveness of online CSA investigations.
format Article
id doaj-art-0754f902ff1142ec9f124abc1daffff6
institution OA Journals
issn 1609-4069
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series International Journal of Qualitative Methods
spelling doaj-art-0754f902ff1142ec9f124abc1daffff62025-08-20T02:28:59ZengSAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods1609-40692025-04-012410.1177/16094069251333592Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study ProtocolOscar RantataloOla LindbergAlva LindholmRobert LundmarkThis qualitative study protocol outlines a co-creation project between researchers and the Swedish police to improve cross-functional collaboration in online child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations. Online CSA cases are complex and require extensive collaboration between prosecutors, IT forensic expertise, and investigators with expertise in child sexual offenses. Despite the recognized need for cross-functional teamwork, research evaluating methods for such collaboration in crime investigations, especially in online CSA, is scarce. This project, funded by the Swedish research agency FORTE (2023-00085), addresses this gap by employing the ‘double diamond’ co-creation framework (discovery, define, develop, deliver) to co-create, implement, and evaluate a team-based intervention within three online CSA units in northern Sweden. Data collection will involve semi-structured interviews ( n ≈ 35), participant observations of workshops, workshop appraisals, document analysis, and analysis of organizational metrics. The project aims to: (1) identify challenges and potentials for cross-functional teamwork in online CSA investigations; (2) co-design a team-based intervention to address identified needs; and (3) evaluate the intervention’s impact on efficiency and organizational outcomes. By working collaboratively with police practitioners throughout the research process, this project aims to generate practical and sustainable solutions to enhance the effectiveness of online CSA investigations.https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251333592
spellingShingle Oscar Rantatalo
Ola Lindberg
Alva Lindholm
Robert Lundmark
Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
International Journal of Qualitative Methods
title Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
title_full Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
title_fullStr Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
title_full_unstemmed Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
title_short Co-Creation to Increase Cross-Functional Collaboration in Police Investigations of Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study Protocol
title_sort co creation to increase cross functional collaboration in police investigations of online child sexual abuse a qualitative study protocol
url https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251333592
work_keys_str_mv AT oscarrantatalo cocreationtoincreasecrossfunctionalcollaborationinpoliceinvestigationsofonlinechildsexualabuseaqualitativestudyprotocol
AT olalindberg cocreationtoincreasecrossfunctionalcollaborationinpoliceinvestigationsofonlinechildsexualabuseaqualitativestudyprotocol
AT alvalindholm cocreationtoincreasecrossfunctionalcollaborationinpoliceinvestigationsofonlinechildsexualabuseaqualitativestudyprotocol
AT robertlundmark cocreationtoincreasecrossfunctionalcollaborationinpoliceinvestigationsofonlinechildsexualabuseaqualitativestudyprotocol