NCJ Number
157524
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (1995) Pages: 105- 108
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This analysis of Gellert's article about child abuse detection notes that reviews problems with the current child abuse reporting laws and recommends ways to decrease inaccuracies in diagnosing child abuse to avoid backlash against inaccurate reporting that can compromise the entire reporting effort.
Abstract
Gellert notes the lack of a coordinated system of tracking, assessing, and intervening on behalf of abused children in the United States. He also addresses the professional community's lack of unanimous and open support for a public campaign to improve specificity. He believes that a tolerant attitude regarding misdiagnosis may potentially undermine gains in child abuse detection, treatment, and prevention and that the professional community should take a proactive approach to this problem. His suggestions for improving the system of child abuse detection include the establishment of multiagency processes to coordinate data and resources from various child care providers and advocates, the creation of interagency child abuse teams, and the use of automated national and regional child abuse registries. Gellert's article offers a starting point for a solution and may encourage others to develop creative solutions.