Kentucky child safety officials defend redacting child abuse records

From Houston Chronicle:  Kentucky child safety officials have testified that their main reason for redacting information in files of children who have been severely abused or neglected is to protect the privacy of families involved.

Department of Community Based Services Teresa James said protecting the privacy of the families helps them to heal and rebuild.

"If I release records, it makes me culpable in the impact it has on families," James said. "I don't believe it is the agency's job to revictimize."

The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader report the testimony came Monday during a hearing in Frankfort over whether the Cabinet for Health and Family Services is following the correct procedure for redacting information in the files that a judge has ordered turned over to the newspapers.

Lawyers for the newspapers argue that the agency is blacking out more information than the judge approved.

======