Title
Media coverage of agency-related child maltreatment fatalities: Does it result in state legislative change intended to prevent future fatalities?
Publication Date
2009
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This study investigates whether child maltreatment fatalities among children receiving services from state child welfare agencies spur substantive, as opposed to symbolic, legislative change to direct child welfare policy and practice. Using existing state-level data from three years, this study examined the influence of news stories, state characteristics, and child welfare policy practice factors on the passage of new child welfare legislations. The results suggest that high levels of media attention are indeed associated with new child welfare policy that is preventative in nature. Furthermore, state child welfare policy practice characteristics are also significantly related to the passage of new child maltreatment fatality-related legislation. The author makes recommendations for future research concerning the effectiveness of policy and practice change that results from child maltreatment fatalities.
Original Citation
Douglas, E.M. (2009). Media coverage of agency-related child maltreatment fatalities: Does it result in state legislative change intended to prevent future fatalities? Journal of Policy Practice,8(3), 224-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/15588740902963445
Identifier
Virtual Commons Citation
Douglas, Emily M. (2009). Media coverage of agency-related child maltreatment fatalities: Does it result in state legislative change intended to prevent future fatalities?. In Social Work Faculty Publications. Paper 6.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/socialwork_fac/6