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PA grade on transparency around child abuse fatalities goes from "F" to "A+"
Pennsylvania, which just four years ago was one of the worst states in the country when it came to releasing information about child abuse fatalities, is now among the most transparent, according to a new national report. Some other states, however, have made the information less accessible than ever.
PA grade on transparency around child abuse fatalities goes from "F" to "A+"
Pennsylvania, which just four years ago was one of the worst states in the country when it came to releasing information about child abuse fatalities, is now among the most transparent, according to a new national report. Some other states, however, have made the information less accessible than ever.
The study, "State Secrecy and Child Deaths in the U.S.," released by The Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law and the child advocacy group First Star, rated all 50 states and the District of Columbia on the accessibility of information about child abuse fatalities. Pennsylvania scored a 97 out of 100 possible points in the report released today, losing points only in the question of whether child abuse and neglect proceedings are open to the public.
Since the first report was released in 2008, Pennsylvania has made the most significant change out of all 50 states, increasing its grade from an "F" to an "A+". Amy Harfield, a senior attorney for the Children’s Advocacy Insitute attributes this to the “increasing scrutiny and attention to the issue.” On June 10, 2008, Pennsylvania passed a law which made the information about child fatalities more easily accessible. “[The law] goes on in great detail about the scope of information that should be released,” Harfield notes.
Over the past four years, 11 states have improved their disclosure laws. Utah, after Pennsylvania, was the second state to make the most improvement, going from a grade of F to an A-. However, California, Delaware and Connecticut all strengthened their restrictions on the amount of information being released to the public. Harfield says some states have actively tried to brush reports of child abuse fatalities under the rug. Nonetheless, she says, “we hope that the release of the report will continue to embarrass and shame states that have done poorly and that will cause reform."
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