The Extent of the Problem- Child Abuse Reporting & Investigation

The Extent of the Problem

In 1997, the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect released a report indicating that more than 3 million American children are suffering from abuse and neglect. Overall, the number of reported cases of child abuse and neglect have increased 41 percent since 1988. (Wang, CT and Dare, D. 1998, Current trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The Results of the 1997 Annual Fifty State Report Survey, Chicago, IL, National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse). Experts attribute much of the increase to greater public awareness and willingness to report, as well as to changes in how states collect reports of child abuse and neglect. Regardless, the number of substantiated cases has increased at a rate as disturbing as the increase in the number of reported cases. Further, there are reasons to believe that even these figures are just a fraction of the actual incidence of child abuse and neglect. Surveys consistently show that large proportions of cases of suspected child maltreatment remain unreported. (National Child Abuse and Neglect Data Systems Fact Sheet, 1998. NCANDS is funded by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect at the Administration of Children, Youth and Families at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services).

The probably that child abuse and neglect is a leading cause of childhood deaths seems to be generally accepted. The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data Systems reported that in 1997 there were an estimated 1,196 child fatalities related to child abuse and neglect. During a five-year period from 1990 to 1994, public child protective services reported that 5,400 children died as a result of child abuse or neglect. In its 1995 report on fatal child abuse, the U. S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect reported that a more realistic estimate is about 2,000 annual deaths. (Ibid.) Research supports that very young children are the most frequent victims of child fatalities. NCANDS data for 1997 from a subset of states demonstrated that children 3 or younger accounted for 77 percent of fatalities.

Determination of the actual number of child deaths is complicated by official statistics identifying causes of death from abuse and neglect mainly in medical terms (per "International Classification of Diseases" listings). For instance, a child whose death is officially recorded as pneumonia may, in fact, have contracted the illness as a result of being poorly clothed, fed, bedded or medically neglected. Thus, many child abuse experts feel that abuse or neglect may well be the underlying cause in many cases where the cause is medically described.

Although young children are more "at risk" of abuse than adolescents, the problem of adolescent abuse is often underestimated. Unfortunately, child protective services may discount adolescents because they are considered to be less "at risk" than younger children and because adolescents are seen as having more options than younger children. Because it is believed that adolescents are able to leave the house until the parent/caretaker "calms down," they can fight back or, in some cases, take the abuse with only temporary discomfort, they are not considered as helpless as younger children. However, many child prostitutes and youngsters involved in alcohol and drug abuse are victims of physical or sexual abuse and neglect at home. Thus, adolescents may have more options than younger children, but they are not necessarily positive options. Adolescent abuse remains a serious problem that deserves attention and action.

The gathering of accurate information and statistics is recognized as a problem at most levels of government. Efforts have been made to develop systems that will reflect more accurately the scope and degree of child abuse and neglect. The number of suspected child abuse cases reported and investigated in California has steadily risen over the years as a result of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and the increased attention paid to the problem by professionals and the public.

In 1999, the California Department of Social Services received 540,577 reports of child abuse incidents. Of these, 26.0 percent were for physical abuse, 40.0 percent for general neglect, 13.5 percent for sexual abuse, 8.0 percent for caretaker absence, 3.1 percent for severe neglect, 9.1 percent for emotional abuse and .3 percent for exploitation.

The Department of Justice maintains a Child Abuse Central Index which contains data from child abuse investigations submitted by child protective agencies. Between 1994 and 1998, 236,213 child abuse investigation reports were received by the Department of Justice. Of these, 55 percent involved physical abuse, 4 percent severe neglect, 10 percent emotional maltreatment and 31 percent sexual abuse.

In Santa Clara County abuse and neglect complaints for fiscal year 1999/2000 were 20,352 children. Out of this amount the Department investigated and closed the referrals on 15,197 children. 1,812 children were admitted to the Childrens Shelter system for Dependency action and 963 petitions were filed in Juvenile Court. 1,017 children were given services through the Voluntary Family Maintenance and Informal Supervision Programs in order to reduce the risk to children now and in the future. 830 children's families were court ordered into Family Reunification or Family Maintenance Services.

This Department does not work independently but follows the laws and mandates set up by the Federal Government and the State of California plus the regulations from the California State Department of Social Welfare.