NCJ Number
60305
Date Published
Unknown
Length
9 pages
Annotation
ISSUES IN THE PREVENTION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT GENERALLY IGNORED IN THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING OF THE MASS MEDIA ARE IDENTIFIED, AND INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES ARE SUGGESTED.
Abstract
SIX ISSUES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DO NOT RECEIVE THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE FROM MASS MEDIA INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS: SELF-INTERESTED NONREPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY THOSE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY, INADEQUATE SERVICES TO MISTREATED ADOLESCENTS, COURTROOM MISTREATMENT OF WITNESSES, SELF-SERVING OR COWARDLY INACTION BY LAWYERS AND JUDGES, INSTITUTIONALIZED MISTREATMENT (INCLUDING FOSTER CARE), AND INADEQUATE SUPPORT FOR PROTECTIVE SERVICES. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS COULD PROFITABLY EXPLORE THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF THESE ISSUES: (1) THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKERS MUST FUNCTION, (2) OFFICIAL PURSUIT OF NEGLECT CASES IN COMPARISON WITH ABUSE CASES, (3) THE ADEQUACY OF OFFICIAL ATTENTION TO ADOLESCENT ABUSE CASES, (4) THE NONREPORTING OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES BY ORGANIZATIONS DEALING REGULARLY WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AND (5) THE ADEQUACY OF FOSTER CARE FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN. AN INVESTIGATIVE FORMAT INVOLVES THE EXAMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL CASE RECORDS AND QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL REPORTS ON PROTECTIVE SERVICES. PERTINENT INFORMATION IS LIKELY TO BE CONCEALED BY CLAIMS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, THE HIGHLIGHTING OF FAVORABLE BUT UNREPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMS, OR THE PRESENTATION OF MISLEADING DATA ABOUT CASES. THE MOST PROMISING SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ISSUES ARE LOCAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, CURRENT OR FORMER FIELD WORKERS, AND OFFICIALS OF LOCAL PRIVATE AGENCIES THAT SERVE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS THAT INVESTIGATE CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE LISTED, ALONG WITH THE TITLES, AUTHORS, SOURCES, AND GENERAL THRUSTS OF SOME EXEMPLARY INVESTIGATIVE STORIES RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. (RCB)