The basic goal of prevention of child abuse and neglect is to reduce or eliminate the needless suffering that many children experience daily in California and across the nation. In most instances, the suffering experienced by the children is also experienced by their families. Familial child abuse and neglect in the family is largely an intergenerational problem. Although it is clear that the nature and degree of some types of abuse is reflective of severe mental illness or character disorders, many abusive parents of abused and neglected children were abused themselves and are attempting, to the best of their ability, to cope with environmental stresses and the demands of parenting.

Only a very small percentage of the reported child abuse and neglect incidents are the heinous crimes reported by the media. In 1991, proximately 29 percent of all the cases of child abuse and neglect reported to county child welfare services were for general neglect. A small percentage of the children involved in cases other than general neglect were placed into protective custody. Most children placed into protective custody were later released, often with child welfare services provided in the home. Of those children placed in temporary foster care, many have been or will be returned home after family reunification services have been provided. Very few of the reported cases result in the termination of parental rights and/or prosecution.

In addressing the needs of victims of abuse and neglect, it is important to focus on the need for services for families at risk of becoming abusive or neglectful as well as those families reported for abuse and neglect.

Professionals, public policymakers and the general public are beginning to recognize the high cost of the cycle of abuse. Common sense, professional experience and numerous studies indicate a connection or correlation between child abuse and crime, mental illness, medical problems, drug and alcohol abuse, runaways, youth suicides, teenage prostitution, juvenile sex offenders, education and employment problems and other social problems. This recognition is in part responsible for the increasing demand for the prevention of child abuse as a means of preventing many of the overwhelming social wills our society is currently facing.

There is a developing realization that child abuse prevention is cost effective from a public policy perspective. The estimated cost of social services, criminal justice, health, mental health and other systems intervention for the untreated or undertreated victims of child abuse is enormous. Those costs include such things as medical treatment, therapy, foster care and incarceration. Prevention is recognized as a long-term approach to reducing the demands on our overburdened intervention and response systems.

• State Child Abuse Prevention Information