http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Audit-shows-over-50-of-Wichita-Social-workers-say/NY2JzuqRaUaL2CPSR87quQ.cspx

Audit shows over 50% of Wichita Social workers say they've been pressured by DA's office
Last Update: 8/28 8:41 pm

WICHITA, Kansas – Adding fuel to the fire, a legislative audit is taking aim at whether state social workers were bullied on the job. Now the Sedgwick County DA’s Office is on the defensive.The long-awaited audit was released Friday. State lawmakers asked for it after KSN aired comments made by SRS Secretary Don Jordan. Those comments said attorneys with the Sedgwick County DA’s Office were bullying social workers. "In Sedgwick County often times we end up writing things because it's what our social workers get bullied by the district attorney's office into writing,” Jordan had said. “They really have no belief in what it says."Those were the comments made by Jordan, which were taped by critics and later obtained by KSN. Those comments led to the audit. Jordan quickly retracted his statement, but an audit released Friday shows at least some truth to his comments. The audit found in Wichita 50 percent of social workers surveyed said they felt pressured at least once by an attorney to exclude information that they thought would distort the facts of a case. Additionally, 58 percent said they were pressured to include facts."I'm really rather shocked about this, very shocked,” said Senator Jean Schodorf. “I was hoping there wouldn't be a result like this."Senator Schodorf was one of those who requested the audit. "I'm asking Nola to take this seriously,” she said. “She loves children, she's concerned about children and I'm asking her to review all her policies in the district attorney's office about child in need of care cases,” she said.The DA’s office, however, points out the audit never found any evidence that social workers were asked to put false information in a petition. And reports of pressure were more likely a case of professional differences."It's unfortunate that anyone would feel some type of undo pressure,” said Deputy District Attorney Kim Parker. “However, there are sometimes there are situations where it's just important from a lawyers point of view to have certain information in a legal pleading.” The DA’s Office also points out that there was no time period given in the survey and judges told auditors that there was a bigger problem five to 10 years ago and it’s getting much better.