A new report found that child welfare investigations in New York City disproportionately target low-income Black and Latino families. This has led them to lose or be denied employment. Research was conducted by legal advocacy group Legal Services NYC, who sifted through data from January 2020 through July 2022 from the city’s Administration for Children’s Services.
The report conducted by Legal Services NYC found that Black and Latino New Yorkers accounted for 81% of investigations, although they make up 48% of the city population.
“There’s an overpolicing now that’s occurring, that is disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic folks in New York City and survivors of domestic violence,” Washcarina Martinez Alonzo, a senior staff attorney with Legal Services NYC, said in an interview with Gothamist.
Most instances of neglect are actually poverty
In 2022, over 70% of substantiated reports were categorized as neglect. However, some experts say that there is no difference between neglect of a child by failing to provide basic needs and instances of poverty.
Joyce McMillan, the executive director of the nonprofit JMAC for Families, told Gothamist that families are being penalized for being poor in most cases. For instance, investigations regarding neglect can be conducted over a crowded home, a lack of food in the home, or the use of candles over electricity because they can’t afford the bill.
“Once a family is investigated, they’re at risk of being separated,” McMillan said, adding that what they need is more support and money.
Reports of neglect can show up in background checks for eight years. It can bar some families from certain jobs involving children and hinder their ability to find employment.
Anyone can report allegations of domestic violence
The report found that 28% of investigations between 2020 and 2022 involved domestic violence. It also noted that anyone can report allegations of abuse and deploy local child welfare agencies to investigate. This system can be used to make false accusations, according to the report.
“Anybody can make this call. Your neighbor can make this call. Your landlord can make this call. Your abusive ex can make this call. Anybody can make it,” Martinez Alonzo said. “They don’t ask for the information of the folks making the report, and suddenly you get child welfare involvement in your life.”
In these instances, the consequences can be long-lasting, as reports for abuse can appear in background checks for 28 years.
“You can’t be an MTA bus driver, kids may be on your bus,” Martinez Alonzo. said. “You can’t work at an ice skating rink, you can’t work at a bowling alley, these are places where children may be. You can’t work at an amusement park, you can’t work in the library, you can’t be a janitor in a school.”
