REPORTING OF CHILD MALTREATMENT: A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL INCIDENCE SURVEYS

• NCJ Number: 143510
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: (May/June 1993) Pages: 337-344
• Author(s): S Ards; A Harrell
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 8 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined what kinds of cases of child maltreatment are underreported, overreported, or not reported at all, and why.

Abstract

To address these issues, this study analyzed the discrepancies between cases known to Child Protection Services (CPS) agencies and those known to professionals who regularly come into contact with children: teachers, hospital personnel, law enforcement officers, court personnel, and social service workers. The analysis was based on the 1980 and 1986 National Study of the Incidence and Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect. The research yielded three major findings. First, older victims were less likely than younger victims to be known to CPS agencies. Second, there was a hierarchy of type of abuse reported to CPS agencies, with sexual abuse being at the top of the list and educational neglect at the bottom of the list. Third, the victims' race, sex, and income did not have a role in determining whether or not a case was reported to CPS agencies. 4 tables and 4 references