Rush to judgment? Child protective services and allegations of sexual abuse.
Two hundred and ninety-three randomly selected cases from a child protection service agency in a large western New York county were examined to test the hypothesis that sexual abuse allegations are investigated and processed more intensively than cases alleging other types of maltreatment. Contrary to the hypothesis, allegations of sexual abuse were substantiated at a lower rate, not investigated more intensively, and not offered more services than were other cases.
Levine
M
M
Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, New York, USA.
Doueck
H J
HJ
Freeman
J B
JB
Compaan
C
C
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009518:New York; D015279:Organizational Culture; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012947:Social Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors