Sage
Publications, Inc. This short (165 pages) book discusses the many dilemmas posed for therapists by the mandated reporting laws. These laws, which were passed with little consideration for the therapeutic process, were passed in all states as a result of the 1974 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. Some states have added as many as 50 amendments, mostly to cover more professions. As all social policy consumers know, unintended consequences of a well-intended act or law may occur and the reporting laws are no exception. The authors do a good job of explaining the problem these laws create for therapists and the basic conflict between the helping role of a therapist and the punishing or policing role of a reporter. Mandated reporters are required to report only suspicion of abuse and it is the role of the child protection worker to then find "some credible evidence" (p. 19). This means mandated reporters must report suspected abuse that they doubt has actually happened. I wrote an article on this topic five years ago in this journal (Schultz, 1990) and I am amazed at how little things have changed since then. The book provides useful information on what may happen to a report after it is made. Problems include difficulties in getting through to the agency, inconsistencies in child protection's interpretation of the evidence, lack of proper screening of some calls or letters, variations in worker training education and ethics requirements, and loosely defined agency policy. The authors make several suggestions, including having treatment clients call the child protection agency themselves, using reframing principles when preparing a report, making post-report home visits, and providing support to the client through outreach services. They also recommend that old reports of past abuse be corrected, that therapists do not report minor injuries, and that child protection workers consult the reporting therapist before processing the report. The book has some limitations that restrict its usefulness. The authors do not address the problems of persons falsely accused or the effect of the backlash on reporting behaviors. But overall the book brings a sense of reason to a difficult issue and is recommended. Reviewed by LeRoy G. Schultz, Emeritus Professor, West Virginia University. Schultz, L. (1990). Confidentiality, privilege, and child abuse reporting. Issues in Child Abuse Accusations, 2, 210-219.
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