California Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) Name Removal Attorney

Can A CACI Name Removal Attorney Really Help Me?

Are you in California and need a child abuse lawyer? Have you found your name on California’s Child Abuse Central Index and want it removed? Is having your name on California’s CACI ruining your life, reputation, and career goals? Is it hindering your relationship with your children? Putting a strain on your child custody arrangement? If so, it sounds like you need award-winning defense lawyers. Choose the best crimes against children defense attorneys from My Rights Law. It is our mission to get you off the Child Abuse Central Index. Call us at (888) 702-8882 or contact us by filling out our secure web form to take advantage of your free consultation today.

Imagine this scenario. You have overcome a rough patch and finally got your life together. You decide now is a perfect time to become a foster parent. You want to help someone like yourself and be a good role model. You’ve even safety-proofed your home. However, the foster care agency says you failed their background check. They found your name on California’s Child Abuse Central Index list. You’re crushed. Now, all you want to know is how to get your name off this index. Please keep reading for more information if you’re on California’s CACI.

What Is CACI?

CACI stands for Child Abuse Central Index. California legislature created CACI in 1965 to protect the health, well-being, and safety of minors. This database compiles the names and addresses of individuals convicted of child abuse. The California Department of Justice oversees CACI and is administered by the Attorney General. Once investigators (e.g., social worker, police officer, mandatory reporter) have suspected child abuse and substantiated the suspicion that you harmed a child, the appropriate party forwards your name to this index. These substantiated claims refer to any sexual, physical, mental, emotional, or neglectful harm.

The general public does not have access to this child abuse index. It is private information that only certain employers and law enforcement agents may see. Once your name appears in this database, it will remain there for the remainder of your life unless a grievance hearing officer allows you to get your name removed.

Why Am I On The Child Abuse Central Index?

You are on CACI because jurors found you guilty of a child abuse or child neglect crime or because social workers found corroborating evidence that you abused a child. Thus, you are also on CACI to reduce the likelihood that you will harm other children. Police aren’t the only individuals with access to CACI. Daycare employers, school employers, foster care employers, and volunteer agencies have access to the child abuse index, too. These entities have access to this record so that they do not put a vulnerable child in your care.

Conviction of certain crimes ensures that the appropriate agencies will forward your name to the CDOJ for CACI indexing. Below are common crimes that will land your name on California’s child abuse list.

What Is Child Abuse?

California law defines “child abuse” as the intentional and willful infliction of cruel, inhuman treatment onto minors, causing trauma.[1] It is against the law to purposefully hit a child so hard that bruising or marks form. Examples of this crime include:

• severe corporal punishment [2]
• slapping a child and leaving a mark
• pinching a child and leaving a bruise

Although sentencing is typically four years, your name will remain on CACI well after serving your time. Unless the attorney general removes it, your name is on CACI for the remainder of your life.

What Are Lewd And Lascivious Acts With A Minor?

California law criminalizes lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.[3] Under this law, a minor is someone under fourteen. You commit this offense when you force a minor to touch your body, their body, or another person’s body to arouse yourself sexually. If you force a child to engage in any sexual act so that you can receive sexual gratification, you’re guilty of this offense.

What Is Child Endangerment?

Child endangerment is willfully placing a minor in the position to suffer great bodily harm or death.[4] It’s also unlawful to inflict unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering onto a child. Examples include:

• berating a child for their sexual orientation
• beating a child until bruises form
• leaving a child home alone with a gun in the house
• leaving a child with a known sex offender
• leaving a child for an extended period without providing bare necessities [5]

What Are The Consequences Of Being On The Child Abuse Central Index?

If your name appears on the Child Abuse Central Index in California, there is cause for concern. People who appear on CACI may not foster children, work in childcare facilities, daycare centers, or schools, or take up volunteer work that is likely to put them around minors. Aside from how CACI can harm your career plans, it can severely negatively impact your child custody case.

Suppose you and your ex disagree over custodial rights. Whether you seek a custody modification, sole custody, primary custody, or joint custody, having your name on this index doesn’t look good. A family court judge is less likely to grant custody in your favor. Unfortunately, the incident that landed you on CACI may have been an isolated incident or from years ago. It can still affect you today. Thus, you may lose your custodial rights. In extreme cases, you may lose your parental rights.

Having your name on this index can tarnish your reputation. It doesn’t matter that only certain entities have access to it. You know your name is there, and it’s embarrassing. It’s more hurtful if you believe you had an untrue trial or were wrongfully convicted of child abuse. Also, you may feel pressured to explain to family and friends why you can’t work childcare jobs. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to pursue getting the attorney general to take your name out of this database.

Can CACI Lawyers Get Me Off The Child Abuse Central Index Through A Grievance Hearing?

Once you see your name on CACI, your first thought is probably, “how do I get off?”. With guidance from expert CACI removal lawyers, there is a chance that you could get your named removed from this database. CACI lawyers who understand the complexities of a CACI grievance hearing may help you navigate this process. My Rights Law can help you throughout the process. Contact at My Rights Law California CACI attorney today at (888) 702-8882 or contact us by completing our secure web form to take advantage of your free consultation.

Other crimes against children we defend include: Child Abandonment

FOOTNOTES
[1]  California Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) 822
[2] Penal Code 273d(a)
[3] PC 288
[4] California Penal Code 273a
[5] Penal Code 270