Beginning next month, only 43 police investigators will be responsible to carry the burden of questioning alleged victims in over 10,000 criminal cases involving violence against children or the mentally disabled, the Social Workers Union announced Monday.
Union Head Itzik Peri accused the Finance Ministry of refusing to replace investigators who step down, leaving investigations into crimes against minors understaffed. He noted that three investigators will be leaving their positions next month lowering the number of trained staff from forty-six to forty-three.
Children and the mentally disabled must be questioned by specially trained youth investigators in order to avoid prejudicing their testimony. The shortage of trained investigators will create a serious delay in processing cases, Peri warned, adding that there are already 400 cases on the waiting list.
Peri mentioned the recent murder of four-year-old Rose Pizem to illustrate the dangers involved in delaying investigations. “That same Rose, who had experienced violence but had not yet been killed, would have to wait four months until she is either questioned, or, God forbid, murdered,” he said.
Not only do children remain in danger while investigations drag on, youth investigators warned, but they forget details that could be crucial to successfully prosecuting a case. If investigators cannot prove that a crime occurred, predators could go free and victimize more children, they said.
Finance Ministry officials denied responsibility for the problem, saying the ministry had allocated money for 50 youth investigators. The Social Welfare Ministry is responsible for ensuring that the additional investigators are hired, officials said.