Politics > Politics-USA > Tucson, Arizona CPS is removing more kids; Gov. Janet Napolitanosaid the statistics are irrelevant.
| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"fx" |
| Date: |
25 Aug 2007 07:20:55 PM |
| Object: |
Tucson, Arizona CPS is removing more kids; Gov. Janet Napolitanosaid the statistics are irrelevant. |
CPS is removing more kids; gov.: Statistics irrelevant
By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
Tucson,Arizona | Published: 08.23.2007
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/197794.php
PHOENIX — The number of children being removed from homes by Child
Protective Services is increasing at a rate 10 times faster than the
number of new cases.
But Gov. Janet Napolitano said the statistics are irrelevant.
In the four years ending this past March, the number of reports
investigated and closed by CPS was up just 4.7 percent.
Over the same time, the number of child-abuse and neglect reports
actually substantiated declined.
But the number of children removed from their homes as a result of CPS
investigations went up nearly 25 percent. And the number of youngsters
currently placed out of their homes because of CPS has gone up more than
43 percent over four years.
Napolitano said the change is no surprise, pointing out that a 2003
change in state law requires CPS workers to "promote the safety and
protection of children."
"Prior to that, child safety was not even a statutory criterion," the
governor said.
Napolitano declined to discuss the numbers themselves, saying they don't
really address the issue.
"You can look at overall statistics," she said. "But the key decision a
caseworker has to make is not 'where does a particular case fit in a
statistic?' but 'where does it fit in terms of child safety?' ...
"I think taking isolated statistics out of thin air without attachment
to particular cases is not helpful," she said.
The role of CPS has been a perennial debate at the Capitol.
Before 2003, legislators spelled out that the agency was required to
give some deference to keeping family units together when deciding how
best to deal with allegations of abuse and neglect. That emphasis came
after lawmakers concluded the state was moving far too often to take
children from their homes.
That 2003 measure followed several high-profile incidents of children
whom CPS left with their parents ending up injured or dead.
Now some lawmakers are questioning whether the pendulum has again swung
too far in favor of removal.
That discussion has been fueled, at least in part, by a recent study
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showing that children who
were the victims of reported neglect did better long-term when left in
their homes than those placed in foster care.
Napolitano said she hopes funding for more support services to keep
children with their families and for drug-abuse prevention will be
addressed as part of legislative hearings set for next month to review
the deaths of several Tucson youngsters whose families had come to the
attention of CPS.
She said lawmakers need to look at more than the individual deaths and
how caseworkers operate, and extend that to "what needs to be around CPS
to help it do its job."
Ken Deibert, a deputy director of the state Department of Economic
Security, previously acknowledged the number of children placed in
out-of-home care has gone up over the years, but noted the number is
nearly 2 percent less now than it was a year ago.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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