CHAPTER 2 VICTIMS
The role of the CPS system is to respond to the needs of children who are alleged to have been maltreated and to ensure that they remain safe. In 1999, an estimated 2.9 million children were the subjects of a CPS investigation or assessment. (See table 2-1.) Children who were found by a CPS agency to have experienced or to have been at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect are considered "victims" of maltreatment.
In this chapter, the numbers and characteristics of these victims, including maltreatment type and demographics, are analyzed. Rates of victims per 1,000 children in the population are also presented.
2.1 VICTIMIZATION RATES
An estimated 826,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in 1999. This national estimate is based on data from 50 States. In those States, 11.8 children were victims of abuse or neglect for every 1,000 children in the population. A child may have been counted each time he or she was found to be a victim of maltreatment. (See table 2-2.) Maltreatment rates for the States are presented in figure 2-1.
The annual victimization rate has continued to decline since 1993, when it reached 15.3. Figure 2-2 shows that the rate has declined to a low of 11.8 in 1999.
2.2 TYPES OF MALTREATMENT
In 1999, 58.4 percent of victims suffered neglect (including medical neglect); 21.3 percent were physically abused; and 11.3 percent were sexually abused.
In addition, more than a third (35.9%) of all victims were reported to be victims of other or additional types of maltreatment including "abandonment," "threats of harm to the child," and "congenital drug addiction." (The percentages total more than 100% because children may have been victims of more than one type of maltreatment.) (See table 2-4.)
Figure 2-3 shows that in 1999, neglect, which had the highest reported incidence, had a rate of 6.5 victims per 1,000 children, and that psychological maltreatment, which had the lowest reported incidence, had a rate of 0.9 victims per 1,000 children.
Five-year trends of the rates of neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse per 1,000 children in the population show a decrease.
2.3 AGE AND SEX OF VICTIMS
In 1999, 52 percent of the victims were female, and 48 percent were male. The female victimization rate was 12.2 per 1,000 female children in the population compared to a rate of 10.8 per 1,000 male children in the population. (See table 2-6.)
Examining the age distribution of victims, the 0-3 age group had the highest victimization rate. (See figure 2-4.) Overall, the rate of victimization declined as the age of the victims increased. (For information about victims by single-year age groups, see table 2-8.) The rates ranged from 13.9 children per 1,000 children of ages 0-3 to 5.9 children per thousand teenagers of ages 16-17.
2.4 TYPES OF MALTREATMENT BY AGE AND SEX (DCDC)
Data from the DCDC allow us to examine patterns of maltreatment by the age and sex of victims. Overall, 11.2 male children were victims of abuse or neglect for every 1,000 male children in the population, and 12.5 female children were victims of abuse or neglect for every 1,000 female children in the population.
Rates of many types of maltreatment were similar for male and female children. For example, rates for male and female children of physical abuse, neglect, and medical neglect were nearly identical. However, the sexual abuse rate for female children was higher than the sexual abuse rate for male children (0.4 male children for every 1,000 male children in the population; 1.6 female children for every 1,000 female children in the population). (See table 2.9.)
There were some differences among age groups of victims. Children in the youngest age group (0-3) had the highest rates of neglect (10.8 for male children, 10.3 for female children). The rates of male and female neglect victimization were lower in the older age groups.
The rate of physical abuse for males was highest in the 4-7-year-old and 8-11-year-old age groups (2.6 victims for every 1,000 male children in the population). The highest physical abuse rate for females occurred in the 12-15-year-old age group (3.0 victims for every 1,000 female children in the population).
2.5 RACE AND HISPANIC ETHNICITY OF VICTIMS (DCDC)
Victimization rates ranged from a low of 4.4 for Asian-Pacific Islander victims per thousand children of the same race to 25.2 for African-American victims per thousand children of the same race. (See figure 2-5.)
The victimization rate for American Indian/Alaska Natives also was high (20.1 victims per thousand children of the same race in the population). The rate for Hispanics (12.6 victims per thousand Hispanic children in the population) was slightly higher than that of Whites (10.6 victims per thousand children of the same race in the population). (For additional race and ethnicity information listed by State, see tables 2-11 and 2-12.)
2.6 CHILD MALTREATMENT RECURRENCE (DCDC)
Child maltreatment recurrence is increasingly recognized as an indicator of the lack of child safety. Since children who experience recurrence have already been victims, the efforts of the child protection system have not been successful in preventing their subsequent victimization.
Based on data from 20 States, 7.5 percent of victims suffered a subsequent incident of abuse or neglect within 6 months of their initial substantiated or indicated maltreatment. (See table 2-13.)
Fifteen States provided sufficient data to develop an analysis of the factors that might influence the likelihood of recurrence. (See table 2-14.) In this analysis, recurrence is defined as a second substantiated or indicated maltreatment occurring within a 6-month period. The major results of the analysis are summarized below:
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Children who had been victimized prior to 1999 were almost three times more likely to experience recurrence during the 6 months following their first victimization in 1999 than children without a prior history of victimization.
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In comparison to children who experienced physical abuse, children who were neglected were 44 percent more likely to experience recurrence. Children who experienced other forms of maltreatment or more than one type of maltreatment were about 20 percent or 27 percent respectively more likely to experience recurrence compared with physically maltreated children.
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When post-investigation services were provided, children were 16 percent more likely to experience recurrence, and children placed in foster care were 17 percent more likely to experience recurrence.
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The youngest children (0 through age 3) were most likely to experience a recurrence of maltreatment. In comparison, children ages 4 through 7 were 6 percent less likely to experience recurrence; children from 8 through age 11 were 13 percent less likely to recur; children 12 through 15 were 14 percent less likely to experience recurrence; and children 16 and older were 40 percent less likely to experience recurrence.
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Compared to White, non-Hispanic children, African American children were 17 percent less likely to experience recurrence. Asian/Pacific Islander children were 28 percent less likely to experience recurrence.
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Children reported by law enforcement personnel were 15 percent less likely to experience recurrence compared to children reported by social/mental health services. Children reported by educational personnel and by other sources, including non-professionals, were 15 and 18 percent respectively more likely to experience recurrence.
