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Abstract
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For 20 years, children's advocates have struggled to get child abuse recognized as a serious social problem requiring a sustained governmental response. As we all know, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Every day seems to bring a new public outcry over a child who has been brutally beaten or sexually abused. Over forty child abuse bills were introduced in the New York legislature last year, and over fifty in California.
Ironically, this very success in gaining public attention has led to a wild overreaction whose effects have actually been counterproductive. Back in 1975, about 35 percent of all reports turned out to be "unfounded," that is to say, they were dismissed after investigation. Now, ten years later, about 65 percent of all reports nationwide prove to be unfounded. This flood of unfounded reports is overloading the system and endangering the children who really are being abused. And the rules and regulations prompted by federal solicitude are a major part of the problem.
So far, most child welfare officials in federal, state, and local agencies have lacked the courage to Speak up publicly about the inflation of abuse statistics by unfounded reports, fearing that such honesty will discredit their efforts and lead to budget cuts. But unless things change, the potentially valuable force of public concern will serve only to increase the number --and proportion--of reports ineffectually and harmfully processed through the system.
First, we need a more realistic definition of child abuse. In addition, state reporting laws and associated educational materials and programs must be improved to provide practical guidance about what should and should not be reported. The current approach in training sessions is to tell potential reporters to "take no chances" and to report any child for whom they have the slightest concern.
This ensures that child abuse hotlines will be inundated with inappropriate and unfounded reports. Laws and educational materials should be modified to require reporting only when there is credible evidence that the parents have already engaged in seriously harmful behavior toward their children or that, because of severe mental disability or drug or alcohol addiction, they are incapable of providing adequate care. |