TWO COMMUNITY PROTECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEMS - NATURE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE INTERVENTION

• NCJ Number: 46662
• Author(s): C L JOHNSON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 194 pages
• Grant Number(s): 10-P56015
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Regional Institute of Social Welfare Research, Inc.
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE TWO SERVICE SYSTEMS, ONE DESCRIBED AS 'INNOVATIVE' AND THE OTHER AS 'TRADITIONAL,' ARE EVALUATED REGARDING THE IDENTIFICATION AND HANDLING OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTION.

Abstract

THE 'INNOVATIVE' SYSTEM, LOCATED IN NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, IS AN EMERGENCY 24-HOUR REPORTING SYSTEM WITH A UNIQUE PROTECTIVE SERVICE PROGRAM -COMPREHENISVE EMERGENCY SERVICES (CES). THE MORE TRADITIONAL SERVICE SYSTEM, LOCATED IN SAVANNAH, CHATHAM COUNTY, GEORGIA, HAS NO PROVISION WITHIN THE PUBLIC WELFARE SYSTEM FOR 24-HOUR EMERGENCY REPORTING. THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS OPERATIONS FUNCTIONS ARE EVALUATED: COORDINATION AND COOPERATION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, INTAKE, SCREENING, INVESTIGATION, CASE ASSIGNMENT, CASE HANDLING, AND RECORD KEEPING. THE EVALUATION CRITERIA USED IN ASSESSING THESE FUNCTIONS ARE EXPEDIENCY, COMPLIANCE, EFFICIENCY, AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THE CRITERIA USED IN EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTION ARE RECIDIVISM, LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN REPORTED INCIDENTS, SEVERITY OF SUBSEQUENT HARM, REHABILITATION OF PERPETRATOR, AND DISPOSITION BY THE AGENCY. DATA FOR EVALUATING THE OPERATIONS OF THE CES SYSTEM WERE OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH PERSONNEL, DIRECT ONSITE OBSERVATION, AND TWO PREVIOUS REPORTS. IN CONSIDERING THE OPERATIONS OF THE SAVANNAH SYSTEM, DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE WORKERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE SERVICES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, LOCAL HOSPITALS, AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT; COURT WORKERS WERE ALSO INTERVIEWED. ADDITIONALLY, DATA FROM ONSITE OBSERVATIONS WERE OBTAINED. IT WAS FOUND THAT EACH SYSTEM POSSESSED INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS, BUT NEITHER HAD ALL OF THE STRENGTHS DESIRABLE IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEMS. DATA FOR MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTION IN BOTH PROGRAMS WERE OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH THE STAFF OF EACH SYSTEM AND FROM CASE RECORDS. BOTH SYSTEMS WERE DEEMED INEFFECTIVE IN THE PROTECTION OF ABUSED CHILDREN AND THE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION OF ABUSERS. THE REASONS UNDERLYING THIS INEFFECTIVENESS ARE DELINEATED, AND A PROCESS MODEL IS PRESENTED THAT EMPHASIZES A HIGH DEGREE OF INTER- AND INTRAAGENCY COOPERATION AND COORDINATION. TABLES OF DATA USED ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)