Arizona Abuse Cases To Be Reviewed By Next Week

PHOENIX (AP) — A top Arizona government official says his department will review more than 6,000 unexamined reports of child abuse and neglect by next Monday — Dec. 2.

The director of the Department of Economic Security also says in a plan submitted Monday night that all reports forwarded to case workers will be investigated by Jan. 31.

Clarence Carter sent the plan to members of the Legislature's Child Protective Services oversight committee.

Carter revealed the problems with the unexamined reports on Thursday and was grilled by members of the oversight committee. He then promised to formulate a plan to address the backlog.

Some Democrats have called on Carter to resign. But Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, is supporting him.

State police are reviewing how the mistakes happened.