NCJ Number
55392
Date Published
1977
Length
77 pages
Annotation
USING A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 100 CHILD WELFARE CASES DRAWN FROM THE FILES OF THE MERCER COUNTY, N.J., DIVISION OF YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN THE COUNTY WAS ANALYZED.
Abstract
ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES WERE FOUND TO CONSTITUTE 60 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE AND IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE 1,060 ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES ON THE MERCER COUNTY NON-WIN (WORK INCENTIVE PROGRAM) CASELOAD ACTIVE AS OF AUGUST 31, 1975. IN 81 PERCENT OF THE CASES, THE FAMILIES INVOLVED WERE ON PUBLIC WELFARE. BLACKS AND HISPANICS CONSTITUTED MORE THAN HALF THE SAMPLE, AND ALTHOUGH THE MOTHERS OF MOST OF THE CHILDREN HAD BEEN MARRIED AT SOME TIME, 83 PERCENT OF THE PARENTS INVOLVED WERE LIVING APART; 12 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN LOST A PARENT THROUGH DEATH. ALTOGETHER, 38 PERCENT OF THE MOTHERS WERE KNOWN TO BE EITHER ALCOHOLIC, HEROIN ADDICTED, OR PSYCHOTIC. IN ADDITION, MOTHERS IN ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES HAD BORNE AN AVERAGE OF 5.5 CHILDREN, AND 19 PERCENT OF THE MOTHERS WERE WERE UNDER AGE 16 WHEN THEY GAVE BIRTH FOR THE FIRST TIME. OVER HALF (52 PERCENT) OF THE CASES INVOLVED NEGLECT ALONE, 20 PERCENT SOLELY ABUSE, AND 28 PERCENT SOME MIXTURE OF THE TWO. BEATINGS WERE THE MOST PREVALENT FORM OF ABUSE, AND LEAVING A CHILD UNATTENDED THE MOST COMMON FORM OF NEGLECT. SEVERE HARM WAS TWICE AS LIKELY TO STEM FROM NEGLECT THAN FROM ABUSE. NO MOTHER INTERVIEWED EXPRESSED A LACK OF LOVE OR CONCERN FOR HER CHILDREN, ALTHOUGH A FEW ADMITTED THAT SOME TIME IN THE PAST THEY WERE UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY CARE FOR THEM. THE ATTITUDES EXPRESSED BY PARENTS TOWARD CASEWORKERS WERE MOSTLY POSITIVE, A NUMBER INDICATING AN EXTRAORDINARY CONCERN ON THE PART OF THE SERVICE STAFF. WHILE 68 PERCENT OF CHILDREN WERE AT SOME TIME PLACED OUTSIDE OF THE HOME, A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE PARENTS (38) PERCENT) SAID THAT THEY WERE AGAINST PLACEMENT AT THE TIME THEY SIGNED FOSTER CARE AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, THE REACTIONS OF PARENTS TO THE CARE THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAD RECEIVED IN PLACEMENT WERE MORE FAVORABLE THAN THEIR REACTIONS TO THE CHILD'S BEING PLACED. THE RECORDS ANALYSIS UNCOVERED SEVERAL DEFICIENCIES IN CASE RECORDING ON THE PART OF THE DIVISION, INCLUDING INACCURATE CATALOGING OF THE ACTUAL HARMS THE CHILDREN SUFFERED AND A LACK OF CLEAR SPECIFICATION REGARDING WHEN AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS A PLACED CHILD WILL BE RETURNED TO HIS OR HER PARENTS. RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO UPGRADING DIVISION PROCEDURES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)