NCJ Number
166288
Date Published
1996
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of the congressionally mandated Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3), the most comprehensive source of information about the current incidence of child abuse and neglect in the United States.
Abstract
The NIS-3 findings are based on a nationally representative sample of more than 5,600 professionals in 842 agencies serving 42 counties. The study used two sets of standardized definitions of abuse and neglect. Under the Harm Standard, children identified to the study were considered to be maltreated only if they had already experienced harm from abuse or neglect. Under the Endangerment Standard, children who experienced abuse or neglect that put them at risk of harm were included in the set of those considered to be maltreated, together with the already-harmed children. Regarding incidence and distribution of child abuse and neglect, the study shows changes in incidence since the previous studies. Findings show substantial and significant increases in the incidence of child abuse and neglect since the last national incidence study in 1986. A child's risk of experiencing harm- causing abuse or neglect in 1993 was one and one-half times the child's risk in 1986, and under the Endangerment Standard, the number of abused and neglected children nearly doubled from 1986 to 1993. Information on child victim characteristics includes gender, age, and race. Data on family characteristics focuses on family structure and size as well as family income. Information on perpetrators encompasses relationship to the child, gender, age, employment status, and child's race and relationship to the perpetrator. Other data pertain to sources of recognition for maltreated children and official reporting of maltreated children and their investigation by child protective services. Implications of the study are discussed.