Category: Child Abuse
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The Movement to Quickly Report Child Abuse … Are There Downsides?
Here in Michigan and nationally, there have been increased measures taken to protect children from neglect and abuse. Keeping children safe is of course a priority, but there is one growing consequence of this movement – falsely accused parents. Our team of experienced CPS defense attorneys sees increasing numbers of false accusations of child abuse…
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Experts Say Child Abuse Was Severly Undereported During The Pandemic
You’ve probably heard this before – certainly if you follow our blog – that certain crimes were very likely underreported during the pandemic. Many experts believe that domestic violence and child abuse and neglect, all crimes whose numbers dropped significantly on paper, were not in fact down, but rather just not being accurately reported during…
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Calls to CPS Have Dropped. But is it Under-reporting? Or Fewer Abuse Cases?
The CPS hotline is usually a very busy one. With calls coming in by the hundreds every week from teachers, neighbors, family members, medical professionals and police, CPS workers are constantly being notified about new possible cases of child abuse and neglect. But who do the majority of the calls come in from? This may…
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Why You Can’t Use an Object to Spank a Child During Discipline
There are many parents in Michigan who discipline their children using some form of corporal punishment. Spanking, in most cases, takes the form of a smack administered by hand to a child’s bottom, and this is a form of discipline that Michigan law allows. Although, as you’ll remember from our previous article on corporal punishment,…
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How to Tell The Difference Between Child Abuse And Corporal Punishment
This is a tough subject. And not just because child abuse is an inflamatory subject, or because people have very strong opinions about whether or not corporal punishment is an acceptable form of discipline. This is a tough subject because, contrary to popular belief, the law isn’t actually as “black and white” as you’d think.…
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Are CPS Workers Now Also Mandatory Reporters For Animal Abuse in Michigan?
When people think of the words “CPS worker” and “mandatory reporter” they tend to think in terms of child abuse. Specifically, the fact that CPS workers are mandatory reporters themselves, and the fact that when a mandatory reporter calls in report suspect child abuse, it’s a CPS worker that shows up to investigate. But a…
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Should Michigan Child Abuse Laws Change For Cases Involving Vulnerable Children?
When a person is convicted of abusing or neglecting a child in Michigan, there are rather specific sentencing ranges that Judges have to use when sentencing them to prison. First Degree Child Abuse can be punished by up to life in prison, but Fourth Degree Child Abuse is only a misdemeanor, and doesn’t get more…
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Can Education Reduce Child Abuse Numbers in Michigan?
April was child abuse prevention month, and all over Michigan nonprofits and other organizations came together to raise awareness and funding to combat child abuse. Then, just a few short weeks ago, the Kids Count report was released, and we saw that the numbers for child abuse in Michigan have actually gone up in the…
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MCTF to Host Discussion Panel on Substance Abuse and Child Abuse
It has long been known that substance abuse and child abuse tend to go hand in hand. Parents trapped in a cycle of drug or alcohol abuse often make poor parenting choices – sometimes as a result of the substance they ingested, sometimes because of a lack of that very substance they’re addicted to, and…
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How CPS Handles Abuse Investigations When Drugs Are Involved (Pt 1)
Drug abuse, specifically opioid abuse, is a growing problem in Michigan. Stats show that between 1992 and 2006 the number of people admitted for drug-related health concerns tripled, and the numbers have only grown from there. More and more people are battling drug addictions these days, and when you stop to consider that many of…