A recent U.S. Senate Subcommittee report revealed alarming failures in Georgia’s foster care system, including instances of children being sex-trafficked and denied necessary care. In response, Senator Jon Ossoff introduced the GRACIE Act, which aims to “Generate Recordings of All Child Protective Interviews Everywhere.” This legislation would incentivize states to require recordings of all Child Protective Services (CPS) interviews, increasing transparency and accountability. It’s not just for Georgia; states everywhere should want to make the change to recording interviews, every time.
The Importance of Recording CPS Interviews
Ensuring that every child’s voice is accurately captured is a critical step toward preventing abuse from being ignored or covered up. Recording interviews does exactly that. When children disclose abuse, their words must be preserved exactly as spoken. Recorded interviews provide an unaltered, unbiased account of what was said, preventing misinterpretation or manipulation. Without recordings, key statements can be misremembered, omitted, or intentionally altered.
The Senate report found that “hundreds of children in Georgia’s Department of Family and Children Services were likely sex-trafficked in a five-year span.” When interviews are not recorded, agencies can more easily dismiss or ignore allegations, allowing these failures to continue. Digital recording systems ensure that no testimony is lost and that agencies remain accountable for investigating reports of abuse and neglect.
A recorded interview provides law enforcement and prosecutors with strong evidence that can be reviewed multiple times. This also protects children from being interviewed multiple times about the same concerns. The recorded interview has the necessary information for the conversation, which preserves the integrity of the case and protects children from traumatization. Cases involving child victims are complex, and poor documentation can weaken legal proceedings. By standardizing recorded interviews, justice systems can better protect children and hold perpetrators accountable.
Lessons from Georgia: A Case for Transparency
Senator Ossoff stated that the recent findings in Georgia highlight “how important it is that there be a record of interviews with these kids, where they might make allegations of abuse, they might report abuse.” Without recorded evidence, it becomes too easy for abuse allegations to “be swept under the rug, and to disappear, particularly if there’s an effort to cover up what’s really happening inside the system.” This lack of accountability leaves vulnerable children without the protection they desperately need.
This act would work to protect children and document events sooner, which means that action can be taken sooner to keep children safe from harm. But it depends on updated interview rooms, quality recording equipment, and a streamlined way to analyze the content with a digital evidence management solution.
Why States Need to Act Now
While the GRACIE Act would push for mandatory recording nationwide, legislative efforts take time. State agencies and child protection organizations can act now by implementing digital recording solutions on their own. Secure, tamper-proof systems like iRecord ensure that every interview is preserved, protected, and available when needed. By adopting best practices ahead of legal mandates, agencies can take a proactive approach to safeguarding children.
There’s no reason to wait for legislation. Keeping children safe and documenting their interviews now can prevent other instances of abuse from accumulating. Not doing so would mean taking risks that we simply can’t afford.
Make the Change—Partner with iRecord
Recording CPS interviews is not just about compliance—it is about protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The failures exposed in Georgia’s foster care system serve as a stark reminder of what happens when transparency is lacking. Whether through legislative action like the GRACIE Act or internal policy changes, agencies must make recorded interviews the standard.
iRecord is committed to providing the technology needed to ensure every child’s voice is heard, safeguarded, and used to drive real change. We serve child advocacy groups and law enforcement agencies around the world. Moreover, our solutions are designed to be user-friendly, so there’s little learning curve to get up and running. If you’re ready to make your agency the new model for your area, we’d love to hear from you. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to our team. We’d be happy to schedule a demo and tell you more about our innovative solutions!