I think we would all hope that, but it is sadly not the case. At her work, summer is regarded as the "slow season," and early September is the "busy season." Which is obviously when kids go back to school, and are back to being surrounded by mandated reporters. And to add to that, she's told me dozens of stories that go something like:

• mom's boyfriend beats or kids
• relative calls CYS
• mom still "loves" boyfriend, denies anything happening. Everyone at her agency knows she's lying, but they can't prove anything
• case is closed until something egregious happens

In that situation, the relative would be liable. Which would discourage people in those situations from reporting, and it's a very common situation. Worse if in point 3 if for whatever reason the agency believes the mom.

This is a very specific example, but the concepts can be applied more broadly. So you think, alright well, we'll just make it so that you have to prove the false report was made intentionally with malice, but that still leaves the threat of legal action looming over the heads of any would-be legitimate reporters, possibly swaying them not to.

Something absolutely needs to change... just not sure how.