NCJ Number
165010
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 20 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1996) Pages: 907-920
Date Published
1996
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The relationship between the nature and extent of casework services and the age of the child abuse victim was studied using data from a randomly selected sample of 293 child abuse and neglect reports in a large county in western New York in 1993.
Abstract
The study was prompted by awareness that infants and toddlers are at increased risk for severe or fatal abuse, often committed by male perpetrators. The data were analyzed by means of hierarchical regression analyses. Results revealed that younger children generally receive more overall services and caseworker activity than older children. In addition, although age makes a significant contribution after the decision has been made to substantiate a case, it does not have the same effect on the initial decision of whether or not to substantiate. Furthermore, the perpetrator's gender did not reliably' predict caseworker attention. Findings indicated that the young age of a child as a risk factor is not ignored, but it may deserve increased attention. Tables and 30 references (Author abstract modified)