Prosecutor’s Decision on Former Pinellas Child Welfare Investigator
Prosecutors have decided not to file criminal charges against a former Pinellas child welfare investigator who was accused of falsifying records on the job.
Jennifer De Jesus, 38, was arrested in April on a felony charge of falsifying records.
Pinellas deputies said De Jesus, who worked at the sheriff’s office in her role as a child protection investigator, put misinformation in a report while handling a call to a daycare. She told her supervisor that St. Petersburg police had responded to the call, but the police did not arrive on the scene and De Jesus put an invalid case number in the report, the sheriff’s office said.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Kendall Davidson said prosecutors found misinformation, but said it did not rise to the level of a criminal violation. Davidson said Florida law requires prosecutors to prove that the falsification of the records could negatively impact the safety, wellbeing or health of the person involved in the incident. This particular incident did not meet that standard, he said.
De Jesus did not respond to requests seeking comment.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said that detectives did not find any other instances of De Jesus putting misinformation in reports. De Jesus resigned at the time of her arrest, so the sheriff’s office did not conduct an administrative investigation, which is separate from a criminal investigation and would determine any internal discipline she would receive.
Gualtieri said prosecutors have a different set of requirements than law enforcement when deciding whether to pursue a criminal case. To make an arrest, law enforcement must prove that it’s more likely than not that a crime was committed. Meanwhile, prosecutors must prove beyond a “reasonable doubt” that the person committed a crime, he explained.
The state attorney’s office decision not to file charges doesn’t mean deputies did anything wrong or that there wasn’t probable cause to make the arrest, Gualtieri said.
“They make their decisions. We make ours,” he said. “They’re not necessarily consistent and they look at it from a different perspective.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The issues highlighted in the article are related to the criminal charges against a former Pinellas child welfare investigator and the decision not to file charges. This is connected to SDG 16, which focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels
The article discusses the decision not to file criminal charges against the former child welfare investigator. This raises questions about the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of the institutions involved in handling child welfare cases.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar)
The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to measuring progress towards the identified targets. However, Indicator 16.6.1 can be used to measure the primary government expenditures allocated to child welfare services and whether they align with the original approved budget.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels | Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar) |
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Source: tampabay.com
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