Primary Prevention of Child Mistreatment: Meeting a National Need (From Child Abuse, P 205-217, 1988 -See NCJ-116992)

• NCJ Number: 117016
• Author(s): C C Miller
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Phi Delta Kappa
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Reprinted From Child Welfare, V 60, N 1 (January 1981).

Annotation

While public responses to child maltreatment have ranged from outrage and demands for imprisonment of perpetrators to compassion and intensive services for victims, responses have been largely reactive rather than preventive.

Abstract

Agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels recognize the importance of primary prevention, but there are a number obstacles to provision of preventive services. The most important immediate obstacle is the shortage of resources. Others include the value historically placed on individualism and self-sufficiency; definitions of prevention and appropriate service; a narrow focus on preventing further abuse (secondary prevention); diagnostic or eligibility requirements for services; a lack of sufficient evaluative research; a narrow focus, emphasizing children in need of treatment and dysfunctional individuals rather than the family as a whole; and a fragmented constituency. To overcome these barriers, it will be necessary to institutionalize primary prevention in a broad-based national family policy, to coordinate preventive efforts across human service programs; modify legislation to provide more funds for primary prevention, and investigate the effectiveness of alternative preventive services. 22 references.