Charged with safeguarding the state's most vulnerable children, protective investigators spend more time tracking down unsubstantiated abuse reports than legitimate calls.
Of the 7,580 abuse reports the Department of Children & Families received in 2005 for District 8, there were indications of abuse 950 times. In 62 percent of the cases, though, investigators found there was either no abuse or no indication of abuse. District 8 includes Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.
"The majority of it is custody cases," said Bob McHarry, operations manager for the Department of Children & Families' District 8. "They're bitter custody battles. It's family. You get the allegation, and it's clear that's what is going on when you are doing the investigation."
For every abuse call, investigators must go through extensive steps that include examining prior reports, meeting with the alleged victim and all household members, looking through medical records, talking to people who know the family, meeting with the Child Protection Team and talking to law-enforcement officers.
Within 48 hours of receiving the call, the investigator must determine the risk to the child. Within 45 days, documents have to be submitted to a supervisor for final review. Within 60 days of a report, the case needs to be closed one way or another. "All of the same steps have to be taken," said Tina Morgan, operations management consultant II for DCF District 8.
There is one exception to the rule, but it is quite rare. In those cases, there can be no prior reports, no evidence, no allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, substance abuse, exposure to substances, domestic violence or medical neglect, the victim cannot be younger than 3 or have a disability or inability to communicate. "It could be a report of a dirty home where the child is over 3," Morgan said. "And even with on-site investigations, there are still things they have to do."
The process is time-consuming for a department that has about 70 child protection investigators, particularly when more than half the calls are unsubstantiated and a portion of those are fraudulent reports. State attorney spokeswoman Cheri Avery said false reporting is a third-degree felony, but it is difficult to prove in court. "First, you have to prove that it was indeed that person who filed the report," she said. While reporters give contact information, Avery said it is possible for it to be fraudulent, as well.
"We would also have to prove there is no abuse going on," Avery said, "and ... that the reporter knew there was no abuse going on and made the report maliciously." DCF spokeswoman Coral Conner felt it had a case, officials there would turn it over to the local law-enforcement agency that would then have to prove the various aspects. "What it comes down to is the reporter has to say it was a false report or there has to be evidence that it was a false report," Conner said.
Acknowledgement