NCJ Number
232390
Date Published
August 2010
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This report provides an extensive overview of child fatalities due to child abuse and neglect in the United States, the extent of the problem, the urgent need to overhaul the Nation's child protection system, and recommendations for the prevention of child fatalities.
Abstract
This report is the second edition of "We Can Do Better: Child Abuse Deaths in America." The first edition was published in 2009. Since then, extensive work has been done to increase public awareness of child fatalities. Of the more than 24 million children reported abused or neglected between 2001 and 2008, several thousand are in life threatening situations. According to official Federal statistics, 12,180 children died from child abuse and neglect during the 2001-2008 period examined in this report. The present systems of child protection successfully intervene in many of these situations preventing further harm to the child. However, for thousands of children, whatever response may be generated is too little, too late, and children die. Among the rich democracies, the United States child abuse death rate is 3 times higher than Canada's, and 11 times higher than Italy's. While strengthening the formal child protective services system has the highest immediate promise for safeguarding children in dangerous situations, there are millions of children in marginal homes who are at daily risk of harm. Reducing this risk will reduce fatalities. Several recommendations are presented in this report in the improvement of child protection systems and the prevention of child maltreatment. Charts and sources