Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1993

Tonight's special guest is Randy Burton from Houston, Texas, an internationally recognized expert on child abuse and neglect and is the founder of 'Justice for Children', a national child advocacy organization that provides pro bono legal services and social services to victims of abuse and neglect across the United States. The 'Justice for Children' call center helps when the child protection system fails to protect a child. They offer information, guidance and assistance to adults who are trying to keep the child safe. The Pro Bono Legal program provides free legal help when it appears that a court or agency will return a child to an abusive situation, and the Court Watch program sends observers to courts in cases where a know abuser might be on the verge of obtaining custody or unsupervised visitation. 'Justice for Children' believes that  every child has the right to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment. Child abuse is a crime and should be treated as such, costing American taxpayers more than $300 billion dollars a year. The primary focus of communities, child protective agencies, police and courts should be on the safety of the child rather than the rights of the parents. When a child reports being sexually molested or physically abused, the child should be protected until and unless the report is proven false and no child should be forced to spend unsupervised time with their abuser. Child protective agencies should be held accountable for negligent failure to protect children in their charge. Randy is a frequent author and lecturer on child abuse and criminal justice issues and has testified before Congress and numerous state legislative committees over the past 27 years.