NCJ Number
48435
Date Published
1978
Length
73 pages
Annotation
THE AMERICAN HUMANE SOCIETY INITIATED A NATIONAL STUDY OF OFFICIALLY REPORTED INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN 1973.
Abstract
THE AIM OF THE STUDY IS TO INCLUDE STATISTICAL DATA FROM ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES. TO THIS END, A STANDARDIZED FORM WAS DEVELOPED AND DISSEMINATED. AS OF 1977, 31 STATES ARE FULLY PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY. THE REMAINING 19 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (PARTIALLY PARTICIPATING STATES) SUBMIT SUMMARY DATA BASED ON THEIR OWN STATE REPORTING FORMAT. FROM THE FULLY PARTICIPATING STATES, A TOTAL OF 99,579 UTILIZABLE REPORTS WERE RECEIVED IN 1976. OF THESE REPORTS, 58.3 PERCENT INVOLVED NEGLECT, (PRIMARILY PHYSICAL NEGLECT) 26.5 PERCENT INVOLVED ABUSE, AND 15.1 PERCENT INVOLVED ABUSE AND NEGLECT. FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND RELATIVES ARE THE MAJOR SOURCE OF SUCH REPORTS FOLLOWED BY SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN THAT ORDER. IN 97.5 PERCENT OF ALL CASES REPORTS WERE MADE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME ON ALL CASES WAS $5,051 PER ANNUM. ALTHOUGH ALL INCOME LEVELS WERE REPRESENTED IN THE VALIDATED REPORTS, 65.4 PERCENT OF ALL CASES WERE IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES UNDER $7,000 WITH 27.2 PERCENT OF ALL CASES BEING IN THE UNDER $3,000 RANGE. FAMILY FACTORS PRESENT IN CASES, USUALLY IN COMBINATION, INCLUDE FAMILY DISCORD, INSUFFICIENT INCOME, LACK OF TOLERANCE, CONTINUOUS CHILD CARE DUTIES, LACK OF CONTROL DURING DISCIPLINE, INADEQUATE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM, RECENT RELOCATION, ALCOHOLISM, SOCIAL ISOLATION, PHYSICAL ABUSE OF SPOUSE, HISTORY OF ABUSE AS A CHILD, AUTHORITARIAN DISCIPLINE, AND OTHERS. THE MOST FREQUENT DISPOSITIONAL RESPONSE TO VALIDATED ABUSE OR NEGLECT WAS CASEWORK OR COUNSELING. HOWEVER NO SERVICE PROVISION WAS REPORTED FOR 46.2 PERCENT OF ALL CASES. NATURAL PARENTS, FOLLOWED BY STEP-PARENTS WERE THE MOST FREQUENT PERPETRATORS OF ABUSE/NEGLECT. FEMALES REPRESENTED 61 PERCENT OF ALL PERPETRATORS, AND 56 PERCENT OF PERPETRATORS WERE OVER 30 YEARS OLD. MALE CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIMS UP TO 11 YEARS OF AGE, WHILE FEMALE CHILDREN ARE MORE FREQUENTLY THE VICTIMS BETWEEN 12 AND 17 YEARS OF AGE. IN 71.8 PERCENT OF THE CASES NO TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED, AND MODERATE TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED IN 21.4 PERCENT OF ALL CASES. MORE SEVERE OUTCOMES ARE MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN. PARTIALLY PARTICIPATING STATES REPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 257,954 CASES OF ABUSE/NEGLECT. IN GENERAL DATA FOLLOWED THE SAME PATTERNS AS REPORTED BY FULLY PARTICIPATING STATES. FOR THIS SAMPLE, LACK OF STANDARDIZATION RESULTED IN FRAGMENTED SAMPLES AND A LIMITED DATA BASE. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. APPENDIXES INCLUDE DATA COLLECTION FORMS, FURTHER STATISTICAL DATA, AND INFORMATION ON STATE LIAISON AND STUDY ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS. (JAP)