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Each week child protective
services (CPS) agencies in the United States collectively receive
more
than
50,000
referrals
alleging
that children have been abused or neglected. As referrals may
involve more than one child, the total 2.6 million referrals
concerned approximately 4.5 million children. Of these, approximately
two-thirds (67.1% or an estimated 1,789,000) referrals were screened
in and received investigations or assessments to determine whether
the allegations of maltreatment could be substantiated.1
An estimated
896,000 children were found to be victims of abuse and neglect
in 2002. This mens 12.3 children for every 1,000 children
in the population were victims of abuse or neglect.2
More than half of all victims were White (54.2%); a quarter (26.1%)
were African American; and one-tenth (11%) were Hispanic. American
Indian/Alaska Natives accounted
for 1.8% of victims, and Asian-Pacific Islanders accounted for 0.9% of victims.3
Children who were identified as victims in the past were 42
percent more likely to be determined to be maltreated compared to children who
were not victimized
previously. The youngest children (from birth through age 3) were most likely
to experience a recurrence of maltreatment.4
In 2002, an estimated 1,400 children
died from abuse or neglect. The rate of fatalities per 100,000 children has increased
from 1.84 for 2000 to 1.96 for 2001 and 1.98 for 2002. Children 0-4 years old
accounted for 76.1% of child fatalities. Children younger than 1 year old accounted
for 41.2% of all child fatalities.5
Violence often occurs against women and children
in the same family. Research indicates that between 50 and 70% of men who assault
their female partners also abuse their children.6
As of September 30, 2002,
there were an estimated 532,000 children in foster care. They spent a median
of 18 months in foster care.7
|
| African American |
37% |
195,040 |
| Caucasian |
39% |
205,478 |
| Hispanic |
17% |
89,177 |
| American Indian/Alaskan
Native |
2% |
9,792 |
| Asian |
1% |
3,423 |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
0% |
1,465 |
| Unknown |
3% |
14,432 |
| Two or more races |
2% |
12,986 |
|
Of the children in foster care as of September 30, 2002, 126,000 were waiting
to be adopted. Only 53,000 children were adopted from the public foster care
system in FY 2002.9
In 2002, states spent
at least $22 billion from federal, state, and local sources on child welfare
services—34 percent increase
since SFY 1996 based on analysis of 46 states.10
All components of child welfare
funding—federal, state, and local—increased spending between SFY
2000 and SFY 2002.11
| |
 |
Federal spending
increased by 7 percent or $748
million
|
| |
|
State spending increased
by 7 percent or $538 million
|
| |
|
Local
spending increased by 15 percent or $341 million
|
|
| Hospitalization |
$6,205,395,000 |
| Chronic Health Problems |
$2,987,957,400 |
| Mental Health Care
System |
$425,110,400 |
| Child Welfare System |
$14,400,000,000 |
| Law Enforcement |
$24,709,800 |
| Judicial System |
$341,174,702 |
|
| Total Direct Costs |
$24,384,347,302 |
|
|
| Special Education |
$223,607,830 |
| Mental Health and
Health Care |
$4,627,636,025 |
| Juvenile Delinquency |
$8,805,291,372 |
| Lost Productivity
to Society |
$656,000,000 |
| Adult Criminality |
$55,380,000,000 |
|
| Total Direct
Costs |
$69,692,535,227 |
|
Abuse is associated with a range of other risks—juvenile
delinquency, suicide,
unemployment, and poor school performance.14
CASA volunteers make sure
that the abuse and neglect that the children originally suffered at home doesn't
continue as abuse and neglect at the hands of the system.
The CASA/GAL Network
consisted of 886 local programs and 46 state organizations at the end of 2003.15
An estimated 288,460 children were served by all local CASA/GAL programs in 2003.16
In 2003, CASA/GAL programs had 73,860 volunteers donate approximately 9,921,360
hours to making a lifelong difference in the lives of abused and neglected children.17
Federal law requires that juvenile
and family courts appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in all cases of child abuse
and neglect, who may be an attorney or CASA or both.
Volunteers contributed more
than 9 million hours of volunteer service in 2003, equivalent to $461 million
in taxpayer dollars, if compensated for their service.
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1 U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families.
(2004). Child Maltreatment
2002. Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 McKibben, L., DeVos, E. & Newberger, E. (1989). “Victimization of mothers of abused children:
A controlled study.” Pediatrics, 84: 531; Start, E. & Flitcraft,
A. (1988). “Women and children at risk: A feminist perspective
on child abuse.” International Journal of Health Services,
18: 97.
7 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),
Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Children’s
Bureau (2004). The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting
System Report (AFCARS). Washington, D.C. Author. www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/dis/afcars/cwstats.htm.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 Andrews, C., Bess, R., Hecht, E., Warner,
L., Geen, R., “The Cost of Protecting Vulnerable Children
IV: How Child Welfare Funding Fared during the Recession.” Assessing
the New Federalism. The Urban Institute. (2004). www.urban.org.
11 Ibid.
122 Prevent Child Abuse America. (2001). Total Estimated
Cost of Child Abuse & Neglect In the United States. www.preventchildabuse.org
13 Ibid.
14 Cathy Spatz Widom (1991) Summary of findings for the
American Association for the Advancements of Science.
15 National CASA Association. (2004) 2003 National CASA Association Annual
Local Program Survey. Seattle, WA. www.casanet.org.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
National Court Appointed Special Advocate
Association National Statistics
Last Updated: January 2005
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to CASA Statistics
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