Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Reported and Investigated statistics

[Based on reports alleging child abuse and neglect that were referred for investigation by the respective child protective services agency in each State. The reporting period may be either calendar or fiscal year. The majority of states provide duplicated counts. Excludes Armed Forces. For definitions, see below table]


						1995				1996				1997				1998

	POST	5-DIGIT	2-DIGIT			Reports				Reports
	OFFICE	FIPS	FIPS					Investi-				Investi-
	ABBREV	CODE	CODE	Population			Number of	gation	Population		Number of	gation	Population		Number of	Number of	Population		Number of	Number of
State	IATION			under 18		Number	children	disposition,	under 18	Number	children	disposition,	under 18	Number	children	child	under 18	Number	children	child
and				years old		of	subject	number of	years old	of	subject	number of	years old	of	subject	victims ²	years old	of	subject	victims ²
outlying area						reports ¹	of a	children		reports ¹	of a	children		reports	of an			reports	of an
							report	substan-			report	substan-			investi-				investi-
								tiated ²				tiated ²			gation ¹				gation ¹


Total				(NA)		(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	70,352,415	2,050,801	3,032,004	969,018	70,874,587	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)

United States.	US	00000	00	68,739,952		1,988,341	2,948,240	1,000,502	69,022,127	2,025,549	3,006,752	968,789	69,527,944	2,046,105	2,857,565	965,623	69,872,059	1,851,267	2,972,862	903,395

Alabama..	AL	01000	01	1,080,145		25,704	38,559	18,120	1,078,097	26,384	39,361	18,640	1,071,708	25,626	40,773	19,489	1,084,135	24,413	35,912	16,668
Alaska	AK	02000	02	189,253	³	9,898	9,898	8,142	186,359	10,100	10,100	7,544	188,329	11,616	11,616	9,017	192,261	11,202	11,326	7,138
Arizona..	AZ	04000	04	1,193,270		26,180	43,762	25,154	1,228,880	28,418	46,716	20,633	1,278,063	38,229	52,886	24,005	1,263,404	34,930	60,610	8,983
Arkansas.	AR	05000	05	649,521		17,612	28,563	8,169	658,567	20,121	38,211	8,571	662,692	21,671	30,441	5,109	653,721	20,511	29,572	8,578
California..	CA	06000	06	8,793,616		364,432	458,262	166,418	8,888,761	370,521	463,072	182,160	8,951,653	380,528	480,443	174,170	8,911,372	122,622	413,372	157,683
Colorado.	CO	08000	08	981,200		32,382	52,517	7,602	994,353	30,960	49,867	6,906	1,015,529	30,647	7,123	7,123	1,040,580	28,573	39,141	7,010
Connecticut.	CT	09000	09	797,733		24,669	38,701	23,762	789,192	33,152	49,344	19,906	792,161	29,676	37,031	18,178	790,715	31,221	40,905	16,923
Delaware.	DE	10000	10	178,826		5,448	9,659	2,300	176,738	5,335	9,751	2,337	177,411	6,659	9,657	4,416	179,071	6,473	9,693	2,894
District of Columbia.	DC	11000	11	114,652		5,185	12,341	5,916	109,535	5,022	12,018	5,867	107,204	4,656	11,518	5,341	102,959	4,077	9,862	4,916
Florida..	FL	12000	12	3,371,328		115,108	170,727	77,976	3,409,379	124,354	184,442	74,587	3,471,316	124,810	184,197	79,785	3,539,932	125,359	186,967	82,119
Georgia..	GA	13000	13	1,923,594		57,118	95,925	57,250	1,953,514	51,981	87,006	48,572	1,987,811	48,770	79,848	45,504	2,022,351	47,007	74,180	24,567
Hawaii..	HI	15000	15	309,262	³	5,601	5,601	2,635	304,278	5,384	5,384	2,555	302,592	4,218	4,221	2,559	298,327	2,129	3,568	2,185
Idaho.	ID	16000	16	347,924		13,406	35,968	10,743	347,401	11,987	32,496	8,816	351,352	12,144	32,522	8,283	351,158	10,100	26,682	7,936
Illinois.	IL	17000	17	3,125,894		73,904	132,570	49,217	3,152,967	70,222	124,129	43,973	3,174,223	66,613	115,344	38,936	3,187,332	64,357	110,658	35,657
Indiana..	IN	18000	18	1,487,359		43,429	67,390	22,493	1,492,553	43,744	66,097	22,861	1,497,455	31,483	47,170	15,624	1,517,366	102,155	102,155	18,962
Iowa..	IA	19000	19	724,511		22,131	32,801	9,967	723,041	22,131	32,801	9,967	725,325	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	722,139	19,412	28,072	7,311
Kansas	KS	20000	20	692,761	³	30,552	30,552	3,264	685,725	30,552	30,552	3,264	687,931	31,451	47,096	18,592	697,452	18,480	26,751	5,312
Kentucky.	KY	21000	21	972,708		40,470	63,313	28,630	965,906	39,241	60,896	27,293	961,202	45,001	45,001	20,783	988,293	63,439	63,439	22,875
Louisiana	LA	22000	22	1,239,214		27,587	45,326	14,194	1,211,062	27,950	45,981	14,911	1,190,878	27,908	46,287	14,825	1,191,412	27,117	45,318	13,773
Maine.	ME	23000	23	304,895		4,106	8,291	4,628	298,694	4,470	9,616	4,656	297,266	4,591	10,041	3,746	291,585	4,121	9,030	3,579
Maryland.	MD	24000	24	1,271,966		26,114	42,352	(NA)	1,266,463	29,900	48,160	(NA)	1,268,552	30,330	48,528	14,198	1,287,190	31,091	55,964	14,234
Massachusetts..	MA	25000	25	1,431,854		33,522	56,175	25,375	1,438,507	35,505	60,199	27,219	1,451,374	37,722	58,743	29,815	1,457,703	37,091	52,899	27,559
Michigan.	MI	26000	26	2,519,455		57,914	139,289	21,165	2,515,450	58,655	142,700	21,073	2,504,757	59,829	147,628	20,654	2,551,615	62,659	156,425	22,744
Minnesota	MN	27000	27	1,245,492		16,991	26,213	10,142	1,241,332	16,685	25,435	10,200	1,250,685	17,358	26,252	10,777	1,259,447	16,197	24,844	10,572
Mississippi.	MS	28000	28	761,909		16,786	27,224	5,588	755,930	18,116	29,179	(NA)	752,998	17,869	(NA)	(NA)	756,875	18,002	32,404	6,079
Missouri.	MO	29000	29	1,381,552		52,931	85,927	17,764	1,393,670	52,548	83,875	23,522	1,406,425	51,151	80,185	15,845	1,406,616	48,119	75,178	12,556
Montana..	MT	30000	30	236,134		8,905	13,528	4,194	230,608	8,943	17,732	3,664	229,530	10,885	21,568	3,611	224,403	9,676	19,004	3,292
Nebraska.	NE	31000	31	443,297		7,858	16,109	3,510	441,597	8,346	16,749	3,612	444,681	8,140	16,654	4,054	445,642	8,272	14,641	4,219
Nevada	NV	32000	32	398,586		12,716	20,623	7,791	418,702	13,558	21,838	8,135	442,856	14,685	(NA)	(NA)	467,107	13,705	23,229	8,014
New Hampshire..	NH	33000	33	294,969		5,639	7,778	1,059	293,671	6,160	8,337	1,063	296,090	6,429	9,015	1,092	298,610	6,391	8,974	1,159
New Jersey..	NJ	34000	34	1,963,523	³	63,684	63,684	9,279	1,976,575	67,817	67,817	10,537	1,987,124	70,024	70,024	10,982	1,990,439	75,988	75,988	9,851
New Mexico..	NM	35000	35	500,099	³	28,034	28,034	8,842	497,303	28,661	28,661	8,845	499,322	18,224	23,454	8,213	504,210	12,781	13,403	4,241
New York.	NY	36000	36	4,536,862		128,896	211,445	57,699	4,546,985	141,376	236,241	70,602	4,560,031	141,482	234,205	72,000	4,502,611	142,174	240,655	83,537
North Carolina.	NC	37000	37	1,799,119		59,968	98,690	30,935	1,832,666	60,687	102,168	33,133	1,873,403	104,950	104,950	33,347	1,919,774	125,862	125,862	37,357
North Dakota	ND	38000	38	170,445		4,642	7,673	3,340	166,558	4,341	7,292	270	165,208	4,219	6,870	(NA)	162,611	4,221	7,098	(NA)
Ohio..	OH	39000	39	2,859,848		95,001	156,975	58,416	2,840,852	95,514	154,202	56,336	2,838,641	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	2,844,005	84,657	135,628	58,070
Oklahoma.	OK	40000	40	878,039	³	39,831	39,831	11,700	874,795	40,916	40,916	11,646	878,305	33,375	51,001	13,800	879,367	34,790	60,340	16,584
Oregon	OR	41000	41	797,040		26,765	43,407	8,991	802,670	24,515	39,486	9,238	810,699	17,187	27,499	9,742	825,170	17,300	27,680	10,147
Pennsylvania..	PA	42000	42	2,909,302	³	24,109	24,109	6,891	2,872,488	23,666	23,666	6,183	2,864,082	22,688	23,188	5,691	2,859,828	22,589	22,589	5,392
Rhode Island	RI	44000	44	237,611		8,951	14,492	4,437	234,029	8,699	14,160	4,181	233,654	8,486	10,181	3,481	237,917	8,117	9,863	3,448
South Carolina.	SC	45000	45	944,384		22,756	43,503	11,439	950,376	20,389	39,063	8,917	955,641	20,573	39,333	8,684	959,296	20,000	38,238	8,432
South Dakota.	SD	46000	46	206,436	³	8,648	9,063	2,526	200,668	9,051	9,051	2,617	197,338	5,441	4,874	2,491	200,937	5,313	5,313	2,647
Tennessee..	TN	47000	47	1,310,297	³	36,286	36,286	12,166	1,317,198	34,293	34,293	11,439	1,324,789	32,383	32,383	10,803	1,331,402	32,286	32,286	9,930
Texas.	TX	48000	48	5,400,417		103,029	158,352	46,768	5,475,335	99,780	151,261	44,704	5,577,135	109,598	162,974	39,638	5,629,200	121,183	172,718	39,925
Utah..	UT	49000	49	674,618		16,114	26,447	8,848	681,580	18,858	24,857	8,538	688,077	17,044	27,219	9,356	701,300	16,931	27,222	7,990
Vermont..	VT	50000	50	146,760		2,197	2,618	1,122	145,431	2,259	2,561	1,221	145,519	2,223	2,309	1,041	141,347	1,883	1,973	887
Virginia.	VA	51000	51	1,612,527		35,992	55,553	10,416	1,628,326	34,630	53,271	10,280	1,644,386	33,273	51,227	10,025	1,644,678	32,902	49,026	9,766
Washington..	WA	53000	53	1,418,404		42,109	47,929	20,264	1,433,029	33,913	47,631	20,033	1,454,654	35,838	38,200	12,014	1,472,490	32,880	47,281	12,926
West Virginia..	WV	54000	54	421,868		12,370	19,544	(NA)	419,674	16,439	26,478	(NA)	411,746	17,579	(NA)	(NA)	404,254	16,350	64,483	7,793
Wisconsin.	WI	55000	55	1,353,205	³	44,661	44,661	17,118	1,341,694	45,479	45,479	16,667	1,346,376	43,406	43,406	14,625	1,351,044	22,232	22,232	8,168
Wyoming..	WY	56000	56	136,268		(NA)	(NA)	1,508	132,963	3,821	6,154	895	131,765	2,565	(NA)	(NA)	129,406	1,927	2,209	807

Guam									67,788	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	69,352	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	70,884	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
Puerto Rico									1,198,353	24,845	24,845	(NA)	1,212,347	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	1,222,818	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
Virgin Islands									64,147	407	407	229	64,944	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	65,717	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)

| NA Not available.

1 The number of Children Subject of An Investigation is calculated from the total number of children by Disposition, and is a national estimate for the 50 States and the District of Columbia based on submissions from reporting States.
2 Victims are defined as children subject of a substantiated or indicated maltreatment. In 1998, Ohio included "In Need of Services," and North Dakota did not use these dispositions.
3 Includes estimates for States that did not report.

Source: U.S. Deparment of Health and Human Services, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, Working Paper 2, 1991 Summary Data Component, May 1993. Child Maltreatment - 1992, May 1994; and Child Maltreatment -1993, April 1995; Child Maltreatment -- 1994, May 1995; and Child Maltreatment -- 1995. Child Maltreatment 1996: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect System, April 1998. Child Maltreatment 1997: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect System, April 1999. Child Maltreatment 1998: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect System, April 2000.

http://www.calib.com/nccanch/

* WHAT IS CHILD MALTREATMENT?

Child abuse and neglect are defined in both Federal and State legislation. The Federal legislation provides a foundation for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that characterize maltreatment. This legislation also defines what acts are considered physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse.

HOW DO WE DEFINE CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT?

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), as amended and reauthorized in October 1996 (Public Law 104-235, Section 111; 42 U.S.C. 5106g), defines child abuse and neglect as, at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act:

Resulting in imminent risk of serious harm, death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation

Of a child (a person under the age of 18, unless the child protection law of the State in which the child resides specifies a younger age for cases not involving sexual abuse)

By a parent or caretaker (including any employee of a residential facility or any staff person providing out-of-home care) who is responsible for the child's welfare.

CAPTA defines sexual abuse as:

Employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct; or

rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

With the reauthorization of CAPTA, withholding of medically indicated treatment has been defined as failure to respond to an infant's life-threatening conditions by denial of treatment (including appropriate nutrition, hydration, and medication) that would most likely be effective in ameliorating or correcting all life-threatening conditions. This definition does not refer to situations where treatment of an infant, in the treating physician's reasonable medical judgment, would prolong dying, be ineffective in ameliorating or correcting all the infant's life-threatening conditions, or be futile in helping the infant to survive. In addition, this definition does not include situations where the infant is chronically or irreversibly comatose.

Each State is responsible for providing definitions of child abuse and neglect within the civil and criminal context. Civil laws, or statutes, describe the circumstances and conditions that obligate mandated reporters to report known or suspected cases of abuse, and they provide definitions necessary for juvenile/family courts to take custody of a child alleged to have been maltreated. Criminal statutes specify the forms of maltreatment that are criminally punishable. (The State Statutes Desk at the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information offers a comprehensive resource summarizing over 30 civil and criminal State statutes pertaining to child maltreatment.) * WHAT ARE THE MAIN TYPES OF MALTREATMENT?

There are four major types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is the infliction of physical injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, shaking, or otherwise harming a child. The parent or caretaker may not have intended to hurt the child, rather the injury may have resulted from over-discipline or physical punishment.

Child Neglect

Child neglect is characterized by failure to provide for the child's basic needs. Neglect can be physical, educational, or emotional. Physical neglect includes refusal of or delay in seeking health care, abandonment, expulsion from the home or refusal to allow a runaway to return home, and inadequate supervision. Educational neglect includes the allowance of chronic truancy, failure to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school, and failure to attend to a special educational need. Emotional neglect includes such actions as marked inattention to the child's needs for affection, refusal of or failure to provide needed psychological care, spouse abuse in the child's presence, and permission of drug or alcohol use by the child. The assessment of child neglect requires consideration of cultural values and standards of care as well as recognition that the failure to provide the necessities of life may be related to poverty.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse includes fondling a child's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Many experts believe that sexual abuse is the most under-reported form of child maltreatment because of the secrecy or "conspiracy of silence" that so often characterizes these cases.

Emotional Abuse (Psychological/Verbal Abuse/Mental Injury)

Emotional abuse includes acts or omissions by the parents or other caregivers that have caused, or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders. In some cases of emotional abuse, the acts of parents or other caregivers alone, without any harm evident in the child's behavior or condition, are sufficient to warrant child protective services (CPS) intervention. For example, the parents/caregivers may use extreme or bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement of a child in a dark closet. Less severe acts, such as habitual scapegoating, belittling, or rejecting treatment, are often difficult to prove and, therefore, CPS may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child.

Although any of the forms of child maltreatment may be found separately, they often occur in combination. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified.

*

http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus/366_child_abuse_and_neglect_cases_reported.html

These tables are based on figures supplied by the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce and are subject to revision by the Census Bureau.

Copyright © 2006 Photius Coutsoukis and Information Technology Associates, all rights reserved.