? State Assembly members questioned leaders from the city?s Administration for Children?s Services (ACS) Thursday about how the agency is run following tragedies involving children.

Most of the hearing was spent discussing "Connections," a computer program that is supposed to track abuse cases. ACS Commissioner John Mattingly says the program is unreliable and slow. Mattingly also asked for lawmakers to pass harsher penalties for parents who allow long-term child abuse.

Leaders with the state?s Child Welfare Office insist ACS has made major changes to protect Bronx and city children since the 1990s, despite the recent cases of abuse.