NCJ Number
48354
Date Published
1978
Length
339 pages
Annotation
FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PREVENTION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE ARE DIRECTED TOWARD EFFORTS AT THE STATE AND COMMUNITY LEVELS.
Abstract
THE GUIDELINES, REVISED FEDERAL STANDARDS DRAFTED IN 1976, WERE BASED ON SEVERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: COMMENTS BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD REVIEWED THE DRAFT FEDERAL STANDARDS, CRITICAL REVIEWS AND EVALUATION OF RELEVANT LITERATURE, AND SUBSTANTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS WITH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. INFORMATION ON THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE STANDARDS, THEIR PURPOSE, AND THEIR MAJOR EMPHASIS IS PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A CLARIFICATION OF THE DOCUMENT'S ORGANIZATION, CONTENT, AND PURPOSE. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A SUMMARY OF THE AVAILABLE SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SOCIAL PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THE GOALS THAT THE STANDARDS ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. THE SECTIONS ON STATE LAW, LEGAL RIGHTS, AND RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL SERVICE SYSTEMS. THE REMAINING SECTIONS -- STATE AUTHORITY, LOCAL AUTHORITY, PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, COURTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND PREVENTION AND CORRECTION OF INSTITUTIONAL CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT -- ARE DIRECTED PRIMARILY TO PERSONS WORKING WITHIN THE INDICATED ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT OR SUBSTANTIVE AREA. WITHIN EACH SECTION, THE STANDARDS ARE ORGANIZED AND GROUPED ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENT'S MAJOR THEMES. THE STANDARDS HAVE ALSO BEEN DESIGNED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE UNIQUE CONCERNS OF EACH STATE, COUNTY, AND COMMUNITY BY ADDRESSING VARIATIONS IN STAFFING NEEDS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES. ALTHOUGH MAJOR TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE VARIOUS SECTIONS, A GLOSSARY DEFINING ALL THE MAJOR TERMS USED IN THE STANDARDS IS APPENDED. (KBL)