Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Jon Ossoff have introduced a new bill aimed at enhancing the protocols of Child Protective Services (CPS) interviews. The proposed legislation, known as the Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE) Act, seeks to encourage states to mandate the recording of all CPS interviews with both children and adults.

The initiative is intended to improve the identification and rescue of child trafficking victims from various forms of violence, including sex and labor trafficking, domestic violence, and abuse. Senator Blackburn emphasized the importance of ensuring that children are not silenced by their abusers, stating that "The GRACIE Act would help give more children a voice, increase domestic violence reporting, and strengthen the foster care system."

Senator Ossoff also highlighted the bipartisan nature of this effort to enhance transparency in state child protective agencies. "We can never do enough to support vulnerable children in Georgia and across the country," he remarked.

Statistics show that 37.4% of children in the U.S. will be interviewed by CPS during their childhood. These interactions are crucial as CPS acts as an entry point into the foster care system; however, current practices have been criticized for failing to adequately identify child trafficking victims. The act proposes that all interviews be recorded to ensure accountability and transparency.

The U.S. Department of Justice has required recordings for interrogations for nearly a decade, with many state law enforcement departments implementing similar measures like police body cameras. The GRACIE Act aims to introduce comparable standards within child protection services.

Under this legislation, a grant program would be established within the DOJ to provide funding to states that comply with these recording requirements. Measures are included in the bill to safeguard privacy and security by restricting access to recordings solely for law enforcement investigations.

The GRACIE Act has received endorsements from several organizations dedicated to combating trafficking and supporting children's rights. Bob Rodgers, CEO of Street Grace, stated: "Mandatory recordings of all child protective service (CPS) interviews are essential to safeguarding children."