HAWAII - A STATISTICAL REPORT ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, 1975

• NCJ Number: 47783
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 57 pages
• Corporate Author: Hawaii Dept of Social Services and Housing
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STATISTICS ON CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING, IN HAWAII ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE 1975, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED 914 REPORTS OF ALLEGED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, 423 OF WHICH WERE CONFIRMED. THE INCIDENCE OF REPORTED ABUSE AND NEGLECT WAS 3.2 PER 1,000 CHILDREN; THE ACTUAL INCIDENCE (CONFIRMED CASES) WAS 1.5 PER 1,000. THE 1975 STATISTICAL REPORT IS IN SIX SECTIONS: GENERAL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM ALL REPORTS (CONFIRMED AND UNCONFIRMED); CONFIRMED INFORMATION ON VICTIMS, VICTIMS' CARETAKERS, AND PERPETRATORS; ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN MILITARY FAMILIES; AND SEXUAL ABUSE. A TABLE SHOWING SUMMARY STATISTICS ON ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOR 1967 THROUGH 1975 IS PROVIDED. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: NEARLY 80 PERCENT OF ALL REPORTS WERE FROM OAHU; REPORTS WERE RECEIVED CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS REPORTED THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ABUSE CASES, WHILE NEIGHBORS REGISTERED THE MOST COMPLAINTS OF NEGLECT; NEARLY 80 PERCENT OF ABUSE INVOLVED MINOR PHYSICAL INJURIES; 75 PERCENT OF NEGLECT WAS IN THE FORM OF PHYSICAL NEGLECT (LACK OF SUPERVISION, ABANDONMENT); MORE GIRLS THAN BOYS WERE ABUSE VICTIMS, WHILE THE OPPOSITE WAS TRUE FOR NEGLECT; 37 PERCENT OF ABUSE VICTIMS AND 51.5 PERCENT OF NEGLECT VICTIMS WERE UNDER AGE 6; 55 PERCENT OF ABUSE VICTIMS LIVED WITH BOTH PARENTS, WHILE 47.8 PERCENT OF NEGLECTED CHILDREN LIVED WITH THEIR MOTHERS ONLY. OTHER FINDINGS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 53 PERCENT OF THE FAMILIES OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN WERE RECEIVING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE; CAUCASIAN AND PART-HAWAIIAN CHILDREN WERE THE VICTIMS IN MORE THAN HALF OF THE ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES; PERPETRATORS OF ABUSE WERE MOST OFTEN MEN IN THEIR 20'S AND 30'S, WHEREAS NEGLECT PERPETRATORS GENERALLY WERE WOMEN IN THEIR 20'S AND 30'S; NEARLY HALF OF THE ABUSERS EXPLAINED THEIR BEHAVIOR AS A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DISCIPLINE THE CHILD; ONE-FOURTH OF ALL CONFIRMED CASES OF ABUSE AND ONE-FIFTH OF ALL NEGLECT CASES ON OAHU INVOLVED MILITARY FAMILIES. (LKM)