NCJ Number
63209
Date Published
1975
Length
52 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT ON CHILD VICTIMS OF PHYSICAL ABUSE BY ENGLAND'S NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN EXAMINES THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF NONACCIDENTAL INJURY TO CHILDREN USING 1975 REGISTERS.
Abstract
SIMILAR TO THE 1974 REGISTER REPORT, THIS REPORT DIFFERS IN THREE IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS: THE REGISTER SAMPLES WERE DRAWN FROM A LARGER GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF ENGLAND, THE AGE RANGE OF CHILDREN WAS FROM NEW-BORN TO 16 AS OPPOSED TO NEW-BORN TO 4 IN 1974, AND THE 1975 SAMPLE CONTAINED ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS MANY CHILDREN (562) AS ITS PREDECESSOR (124) AND NEARLY THREE TIMES AS MANY NEW-BORN TO 4-YEAR OLDS. THE LARGER SAMPLE CONTAINING A WIDER RANGE REINFORCED SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS FOUND IN 1974: THE MAJORITY OF THE INJURED CHILDREN SUSTAINED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES ONLY; THE AGE GROUP WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF REGISTERED CASES WAS THE YOUNGEST--THE NEW-BORN TO 1-YEAR OLDS, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE SERIOUSLY INJURED; LOW BIRTH WEIGHT WAS AGAIN A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR; YOUNG PARENTS, LARGE FAMILIES, AND ATYPICAL PARENTAL SITUATIONS WERE OVERREPRESENTED COMPARED TO NATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF SIMILAR SOCIAL CLASS; AND HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AND LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS WERE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THESE FAMILIES. THE 1975 REPORT CONTAINS A NUMBER OF ENCOURAGING INDICATORS OF SUCCESS IN THE FIELD OF NONACCIDENTAL INJURY TO CHILDREN. THE REINJURY RATE WAS LOW AND SHOWED A DECLINE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. REINJURIES WERE MODERATE AND CONSISTED LARGELY OF BRUISING. IN THE 1975 COHORT THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURY. THE EVIDENCE FROM THE STUDY ALSO CONFIRMS THAT CENTRAL REGISTERS CAN AID IN THE DETECTION AND SEQUENCE OF CHILD ABUSE, BUT THAT MORE ATTENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO DEVELOPMENT OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. TABULAR DATA, A LIST OF REFERENCES, AND APPENDIXES ACCOMPANY THE REPORT. (MJW)