A Question of Innocence by Dr. Lawrence D. Spiegel This story, tragic and true, shows how easily child abuse laws can be used as a weapon against you. The true story written from the personal experience of Dr. Lawrence Spiegel, casts a revealing light into the dark side of human personality. It takes us to the hub of our child protection system, to the inner workings of the powerful prosecutor's office. It exposes how an individual is forced beneath institutional wheels that turn with the weight of intimidation, that psychologically crush, that financially flatten. It's the story of Dr. Spiegel's struggle to prove his innocence, to regain his daughter, his rights, his career. It portrays how vulnerable all of us are to the dilemma of false accusations. This story begins at the end of a marriage. A visitation and custody conflict culminates in a startling arrest - a father is charged with molesting his child. His life tailspins into a legal and personal abyss. He is prohibited access to his daughter, forced to resign his college professorship, betrayed by his business partner, then arrested again. The story tosses us inside the turmoil - shock, denial, depression and anger - and propels us into his battle to win back his daughter. 160,000 cases of suspected child abuse were reported in 1963. That number has exploded to 1.7 million in 1985. But 65% of these reported cases are unfounded. Each year over 500,000 families are needlessly investigated. Parents agonize through this experience; some have children removed from their homes; others must fight for even supervised visitations. Reputations are tarnished; business associates disappear; friendships dissolve. The falsely accused quickly learn that they are guilty until proven innocent. How can something like this happen? Very easily - and that's the issue. A single anonymous phone call, a parental separation, a divorce and custody dispute, a misinformed physician, an over-zealous social worker, a concerned teacher, a vengeful neighbor, a prosecutor looking to make a name - can create this unending nightmare. Who is held accountable for false reporting and poor investigations? No one. When found innocent, what happens to the falsely accused? No one knows. Dr. Lawrence Spiegel was born in New York City, received his M.A. degree in psychology from Glassboro State College and his doctorate degree from Rutgers University. He has taught at several colleges and is presently a visiting lecturer in developmental psychology at Rutgers University. He has recently consulted and testified as an expert witness in several cases of alleged child abuse. He is currently a consultant to the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services and the Community Mental Health Law Project.

Back to Contents

No legal advice is given on this Website or Webpage
Send comments to American Injustice
Copyright © 1997, 1998 & 1999-2004 by American Injustice, Inc. All rights reserved
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without
profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest
in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.