NCJ Number
124412
Date Published
Unknown
Length
113 pages
Annotation
This study examines the range of crimes directed against children in Washington between January 1 and June 30, 1988. The maltreatment of children includes unintentional injuries and inflicted injuries, with the latter category subdivided into those that do not violate community standards, those that damage the child health or safety, and those that violate criminal statutes.
Abstract
The data were collected through a form similar to the supplemental homicide data form currently used by Washington law enforcement agencies. Over 80 percent of the agencies participating in Uniform Crime Reporting participated in the study. Of the 5,324 incidents analyzed, 1,701 were physical abuse, 2,485 were sexual assaults, and 1,138 were cases of neglect. Physical abuse includes homicide, aggravated assault, and simple assault; sexual abuse includes rape, statutory rape, molesting, incest, indecent exposure, prostitution, and pornography; and neglect includes abandonment, neglect, and failure to provide. The results indicate that the major source of risk to children comes from family members and acquaintances, while stranger-related assaults are much less commonplace. While fathers and other acquaintances are the primary perpetrators of sexual assaults, mothers emerge more often in neglect-related cases. Mothers also comprised a surprisingly high number of offenders in physical assaults against children. A first generation risk rate for children in Washington was developed by taking the incidents for each county and factoring in the percent of the population of the county represented by participating agencies and comparing that information to the number of children in the county. 17 tables, 16 graphs, 3 appendixes. (Author abstract modified)