Tucson Citizen: Our Opinion: CPS records show agency failed threeTucson kids

Our Opinion: CPS records show agency failed three Tucson kids
Tucson Citizen


http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/opinion/59200.php

Sloppy work by Child Protective Services personnel ultimately led to the
deaths of three Tucson children in an unconscionable breach of
responsibility and public trust.


CPS stopped checking on Ariana and Tyler Payne after deciding in April
2006 that they should stay with their father, according to formerly
confidential agency records released this week by a judge's order.
Yet the mother had custody of the two children under a court order that
denied visitation, much less custody, to father Christopher M. Payne.
Less than 10 months after CPS left the 4-year-old girl and her
5-year-old brother with Payne, Ariana's body was found stuffed in a
plastic box in a Tucson storage locker.
The father has been charged with murder in her death and that of Tyler,
whose body has not been found.


CPS oblivious to family history
CPS officials say they were unaware of the court order and Payne's
problems. But ignorance of the family history is unacceptable.

As state Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, told the Arizona Republic: "It
was irresponsible for them to close the case without knowing what the
custody would be of these kids and never checking up on them again."
Indeed. Yet without even checking for family records, a CPS caseworker
encouraged Payne to seek custody of his children.


And when the mother complained that Payne had not returned the children
after a visit, a CPS supervisor told a Tucson police officer to leave
them with their father.


Then the agency closed the case.

Ken Deibert, head of CPS, acknowledged the system isn't perfect.
"I don't know any system that is perfect," Deibert said.
We don't expect perfection. But Arizonans should expect basic efficiency
from the state agency responsible for children's welfare.
The latest facts, disclosed in the once-closed documents, spotlight dire
CPS failures constituting far more than mere "imperfection."


Lax work recurs in third case
That sloppiness is echoed in the case of 5-year-old Brandon Williams,
whom CPS had sought for months before he died March 22 in Tucson.
The autistic boy's mother, Diane Marsh, and housemate Flower Tompson are
charged with first-degree murder in his death.

CPS couldn't find Brandon after his school reported him missing,
although the agency had reports on Marsh and her children dating to 1999.

In addition, a deputy checked on the boy March 15. Her report never made
it to CPS. Why a deputy could find him while CPS could not has yet to be
explained.

CPS has a full complement of 219 employees in Tucson, but only half are
available at times because of vacations, illness and other absences.
State law requires an investigator to respond to serious allegations
within two hours.
But in the first quarter of this year, the Tucson office of CPS
investigated only 49 percent of the abuse and neglect reports it received.

Because of poor recordkeeping, CPS could not say how many of those
reports were deemed "serious."
Statewide, the agency at one time had vacancies in 40 percent of its
investigator positions.

Full probe of CPS imperative
The Legislature is investigating. We urge lawmakers to make a thorough
probe of CPS management, staffing, policies and procedures in light of
these problems and many others.

CPS's ineptitude has become a matter of life or death for Arizona's most
vulnerable residents - its children.

Reform of this key agency is a top priority.



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 HUNDREDS 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...