Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

11 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

12 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

12 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

13 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

16 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

17 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

17 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

17 hours ago
California Child Abuse Database Lacks Half of County Reports
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
June 1, 2022

Share

 

More than half of substantiated California child abuse reports in recent years were not in the state’s database, which could result in child abusers being allowed to care for children, state auditors said Tuesday.

The unreliability of the database “puts children at risk,” auditors said.

The database is used by state and county social services and welfare departments, adoption agencies, medical workers treating possible victims of child abuse, agencies conducting background investigations of applicants for law enforcement jobs, and agencies conducting background investigations on those who want to work or volunteer in positions that would give them access to children, like day care centers or group homes.

But the flaws in the database mean those agencies “cannot depend on the database to help protect children,” Acting California State Auditor Michael Tilden said in an opening letter to the governor and legislative leaders.

The state’s Child Abuse Central Index, run by the state Department of Justice, contains more than 25,000 reports of sexual and physical abuse and neglect that are backed by county records. But there are more than 52,000 such reports in county records, meaning nearly 27,000 reports — 52% — are in county records but not the state’s database, auditors said.

On the other hand, nearly 300 reports in the state’s database were not supported by county records during the four‑year period ending in June 2021 that was covered by the audit. They said it is “highly likely” the same problems existed in prior years.

Tilden said in his letter that the current reporting process is “cumbersome and error-prone,” with several reasons for the problems.

State officials did not always put county reports into the database, and counties did not always send their reports to the state, auditors found. And there can be differing interpretations of which reports counties should send to the state. At least one county requires a social worker to interview a suspected child abuser before it will send a report to the state, while other counties do not.

Auditors found other problems: Justice officials sent at least 224 notices wrongly saying there was no match with the state database, and wrongly said at least 25 times that there was a “possible match” with the database.

Beyond convictions, the database contains what are termed substantiated reports of child abuse, in which an investigator has determined child abuse more likely than not occurred. The report did not include any instances where lapses in the database led to children being abused.

Republican Assemblyman Tom Lackey, who sought the audit with other lawmakers of both parties, said it shows the Legislature should address the “significant issues.” That means not only making sure the database includes all those who should be there, but excluding those falsely included who as a result face a “stigma,” he said in a statement.

“It is clear that we must maintain better data to ensure the protection of our children,” said Lackey, who two years ago unsuccessfully pushed legislation that would have let law enforcement agencies enter data into the database.

Auditors recommended that the state streamline the process for submitting reports, which they called “outdated, inefficient and subject to numerous types of errors.”

Department of Justice officials should be allowed to directly access counties’ records, they said, replacing the current multi-step process that can take 28 days until new names are added to the state’s database.

Justice, social services and county officials generally agreed with the findings, although the California Department of Social Services was skeptical that the changes could easily be implemented.

Spokesmen for Attorney General Rob Bonta, who runs the Department of Justice, said the audit overstates the department’s role, which they said is to act as a repository for reports submitted by counties.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

DON'T MISS

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

UP NEXT

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

UP NEXT

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

UP NEXT

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

UP NEXT

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

UP NEXT

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

UP NEXT

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

UP NEXT

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

UP NEXT

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

9 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

10 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

10 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

10 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

10 hours ago

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

11 hours ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

11 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

12 hours ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

12 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

12 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

A two-vehicle collision sent a woman driving one of the vehicles to the hospital with a head injury Thursday afternoon in Fresno. Fresno pol...

8 hours ago

A crash causes a traffic jam in northwest Fresno on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)
8 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned 52,593 acres with 5% containment, prompting evacuation orders in several San Luis Obispo County zones as of Thursday, July 3, 2025, afternoon. (CalFire)
8 hours ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

9 hours ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

9 hours ago

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

An ICE agent talks with migrants about their scheduled appointments with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Father’s Day, to learn about their immigration status, in Chicago, Illinois., U.S., June 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
10 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

Boeing logo and miniature satellite model are seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
10 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

10 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
10 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend