City offered incentives to close child-abuse cases (Richmond, VA)

As Richmond’s Department of Social Services rushed to clear a backlog of reports of child abuse and neglect, certificates of recognition were presented to those who closed the most cases, workers were beneficiaries of an “anonymous gift card donation” to commend their efforts and employees were paid to work Saturdays to get old cases off the books, according to city documents.

A series of monthly departmental reports obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch through a Freedom of Information Act request reveal the measures taken last year to encourage and commend employees working to close outstanding child-abuse reports at a rapid clip.

The city auditor’s office found last month that many of the 774 cases cleared between July 1 and Sept. 30 of last year were closed improperly without adequate regard for children’s safety. Out of a random sample of 100 closed cases, 66 percent were found to have been closed inappropriately, according to the investigative report released in mid-January by City Auditor/Inspector General Umesh Dalal. The report said the city’s clearance rate “appeared to be excessive” compared with similarly sized localities.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/city-employees-commended-for-rapid-closures-of-child-abuse-complaints/article_e4bb0b1c-135a-5e42-b804-cca2c4413425.html