In the United States, it is a parent's fundamental right to raise their children without state interference. Each state has its own agency responsible for the protection of children. In Los Angeles, California this agency is known as DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services). This agency is responsible for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect, and the handling of adoptions. In the past social workers were responsible for assessing child abuse reports and determining whether a child would be detained. However, these days a computer handles these tasks. A SDM (Structured Decision Making) tool was implemented into the DCFS agency as a way to assist social workers and lighten caseloads. However, question has been raised as to how effective and reliable this tool really is. This process starts as soon as a tip comes through the child abuse hotline. In Los Angeles county, there are around 3,000 calls each week of suspected child abuse or neglect. The computer generates questions which the social worker answers based on the information from the report and allegations received. Based on these answers the computer will either add or deduct a points. The higher the score-the higher the risk level. At the end of the computer generated assessment the score is then verified by a social worker and if the level meets the legal threshold, a social worker begins an investigation. There has been criticism and argument of whether this computerized system is capable to assessing such serious situations. Social workers utilize personal experience and natural intuition, these make up a human beings decision making process which only a human can comprehend. However others say that by using the SDM, it provides more objectivity where social workers are more subjective. When it comes to the safety of children, computers may not have the ability to make the best assessment. As a case moves from one focus to another, the answers to SDM's