Nowhere is this more true than in child welfare.
Allegations can be anonymous.
Investigations are handled by the Child Protective Services division of the FIA, which is on call 24 hours a day. Very specific predetermined criteria is used to determine whether an immediate response is warranted. Among other things, investigators look for evidence like bruises and burns, consider the child's age and whether he or she is limited by disability, and also whether the child is afraid to go home. The purpose of the investigation is to avoid assumptions or jumping to conclusions and to determine if there is evidence to support the concerns of the reporting person, Pavlov said. The Grand Traverse FIA gets about 120 calls per month and investigates 35 to 50 cases, he said.