NCJ Number
61315
Date Published
1979
Length
54 pages
Annotation
STATISTICAL DATA ARE PRESENTED ON REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT MADE TO THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES FROM JULY 1, 1977 TO JUNE 30, 1978.
Abstract
IN 1978, CHILD ABUSE WAS 20 TIMES HIGHER THAN IN 1970. REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE IN 1978 WERE UP 46.5 PERCENT OVER 1977, REFLECTING GREATER MEDIA COVERAGE OF CHILD ABUSE CONCERNS AND MORE EFFECTIVE REPORTING. AGE DISTRIBUTIONS OF ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILDREN REMAINED FAIRLY STABLE FROM 1977 TO 1978. IN 1978, A 63-PERCENT INCREASE IN REPORTS OF ABUSED WHITE CHILDREN WAS INDICATED, AS COMPARED TO A 36 PERCENT INCREASE FOR BLACKS AND A 24 PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL OTHER RACES. REPORTS OF POISONINGS AND MULTIPLE INJURIES ROSE SHARPLY IN CONTRAST WITH OTHER TYPES OF ABUSE. A HIGHER PROPORTION OF REPORTS IN 1978 INVOLVED NEGLECT THAN IN 1976 AND 1977, WITH PARENTS THE ALLEGED PERPETRATORS IN 75 PERCENT OF ALL ABUSE/NEGLECT CASES. REPORTS IN 1977 AND 1978 INCLUDED ONLY 0.5 PERCENT DEATHS, COMPARED TO 0.7 PERCENT IN 1976; OF 75 DEATHS IN 1978, 59 WERE DEAD ON ARRIVAL AND 16 EXPIRED LATER. AMONG MANDATED REPORTERS OF ABUSE, HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS AND NURSES WERE THE ONLY CATEGORIES TO DECREASE. PUBLIC AID REPORTERS ROSE 198 PERCENT IN REPORTING, FOLLOWED BY SOCIAL WORKERS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES. A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ABUSE WAS REPORTED FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS AND OVER 14 YEARS. NEGLECT WAS REPORTED MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE AGE RANGE FROM 3 YEARS TO 13 YEARS. COMPARISONS ACROSS SEVERAL TYPES OF ABUSE ARE MADE, INCLUDING SEXUAL ABUSE, BEATINGS, NEGLECT, MULTIPLE INJURIES, AND ABUSE RESULTING IN DEATH. THE BULK OF THE REPORT CONTAINS TABULAR DATA. (DEP)