National statistics from 2012 showed increases in some forms of child maltreatment for the first time in many years. While overall substantiated child maltreatment was flat from 2011 to 2012, there was a 2% rise in sexual abuse and a 5% rise in physical abuse. Neglect declined 3%, but child maltreatment fatalities rose 4% from 1557 to 1620

Finkelhor, David

Jones, Lisa M.

Saito, Kei

Shattuck, Anne M.

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryCrimes Against Children Research Center Research Institutes, Centers and Programs1-2013Updated trends in Child Maltreatment, 2012.David FinkelhorUniversity of New Hampshire - Main Campus, David.Finkelhor@unh.eduLisa M. JonesUniversity of New Hampshire - Main Campus, lisa.jones@unh.eduAnne M. ShattuckUniversity of New Hampshire, Anne.Shattuck@unh.eduKei SaitoUniversity of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/ccrcPart of the Psychology Commons, and the Sociology CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Research Institutes, Centers and Programs at University of New Hampshire Scholars'Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Crimes Against Children Research Center by an authorized administrator of University of NewHampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationFinkelhor, D., Jones, L., Shattuck, A., & Saito, K. (2013). Updated trends in Child Maltreatment, 2012. Durham, NH: Crimes againstChildren Research Center.Updated trends in child maltreatment,  2012  The published NCANDS report shows overall substantiated child maltreatment steady at 9.2 per 1000 children, or about 686,000 children. This rate is low by historical standards and 4.2% below the  level of 2008.  Breaking out cases by type of abuse, the data show that sexual abuse rose 2% from 2011 to 2012 to a nationally estimated 62,700 cases. Physical abuse rose 5% to an estimated 122,600 cases. Neglect, by contrast was down 3% to an estimated 525,900. (see Figure 1). David Finkelhor, Lisa Jones, Anne Shattuck & Kei Saito  National statistics from 2012 showed increases in some forms of child maltreatment for the first time in many years. While overall substantiated child maltreatment was flat from  2011 to 2012, there was a 2% rise in sexual abuse and a 5% rise in phys-ical abuse. Neglect declined 3%, but child maltreatment fatali-ties rose  4% from 1557 to 1620.  The data in the tables and graphs included below are derived from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), which aggregates and publishes statistics from state child protection agencies.  The most recent data from NCANDS were released in December, 2013, and concern cases of child maltreatment investigated in 2012 (USDHHS, 2013). http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/child-maltreatment-2012 Note: Trend estimates represent total change from 1992 to 2012. Annual rates for physical abuse and sexual abuse have been multiplied by 2 and 3 respectively in Figure 1 so that trend comparisons can be highlighted. 1 The statistics in Table 1 and Figure 1 concern substantiated cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect.  A substantiated case means a case that has been reported to a child protection agency, investigated and deemed to have occurred according to a “preponderance of evidence.”  The child maltreatment cases referred and investigated by state child protection agencies primarily involve abuse by caregivers. The cases do not include many involving stranger abusers, unless some element of caregiver neglect was involved. January 2013 2030405060708090'90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12Rate per 10,000  for Population < 18 yearsFigure 1.  U.S. Maltreatment Trends:  1990-2012Sexual abuse rates (x3) Physical abuse rates (x2)Neglect: 14% DeclinePhysical Abuse: 54% DeclineSexual Abuse: 62% DeclineU p d a t e d  T r e n d s  i n  C h i l d  M a l t r e a t m e n t ,  2 0 1 2  P a g e  2  Table 1:  State Trends in Child Maltreatment: 2011-2012 and 1992-2012*  *Note that in states with smaller populations and lower rates of reported maltreatment, small changes can result in large percentage changes Note: Negative percentages: % decline; Positive percentages: % increase.  Due to missing data, long- term trends in SA, PA, and neglect calculated for:  CA, 1993-2012; ID 1993-2012; MD, 2001-2012; WA, 1995-2012; WV, 1998-2012. The rise in sexual abuse is the first rise since 2003, but is still considerably down over the long term. Sexual abuse has declined  62% from 1992 to 2012.  Similarly the increase in physical abuse, relatively large by single year standards, is the first in several years. But the long term trend for physical abuse is also down markedly, decreasing 54% since 1992. The  2011-2012 decline in neglect continues a  trend that has been consistent-ly down since 2006 with a long-term drop of 14% since 1992.  It is not possible to directly compare state maltreatment rates because states differ in how statutes define abuse and how abuse is investigated and processed.  However, look-ing at within-state trends, most individual states experienced substantial declines in sexual and physical abuse during the period since the early 1990s (see Table 1).  The data do not show any obvious patterns to the decline by region.  In its data on child maltreatment fatalities, the latest NCANDS shows an increase in deaths of 4% from an estimated national total (excluding Puerto Rico) of  1557 in  2011 to 1620 in 2012.   Because NCANDS reports only those cases known to and confirmed by state authori-ties, questions are always relevant about the extent to which trends reflect changes in investigatory effort, reporting practices, definitional standards, and administrative or statistical procedures, not real changes in underlying abuse.  These factors can clearly play a role. They may be particularly con-cerning during times of state budget cut backs or recoveries. However, the recently released Fourth National Incidence Study of  Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4) confirmed that the declines documented  in the NCANDS data in the period of 1993 to 2008 were probably not statistical or reporting artifacts. Alabama 11% 11% 14% -57% -40% -72%Alaska 22% 17% 6% -88% -83% -10%Arizona 8% -4% 19% -92% -69% -9%Arkansas 2% 2% -12% 7% -30% 50%Cal i fornia -13% -13% -2% -87% -87% -18%Colorado -1% -7% -2% -61% -65% 32%Connecticut -4% -16% -20% -59% -88% -40%Delaware -14% -16% -11% -36% -31% -14%District of Columbia  (DC) 15% -33% -20% 83% -22% -54%Florida 6% 5% 1% -78% -71% -48%Georgia -1% 7% -4% -87% -76% -69%Hawai i -6% 7% -14% -73% -79% -70%Idaho miss ing miss ing miss ing -94% -89% -74%Il l inois 17% 36% -2% -9% 48% -29%Indiana 2% 6% 10% -61% -73% 1%Iowa -5% -7% -3% -63% -53% 137%Kansas -9% 16% 4% -32% -49% -48%Kentucky 2% 4% 2% -75% -79% 4%Louis iana -15% -11% -12% -38% -34% -27%Maine 54% 43% 29% -54% -15% 108%Maryland -6% -11% -3% -25% -49% -13%Massachusetts 6% -5% -4% -67% -57% 2%Michigan 7% 9% -1% -46% 64% 202%Minnesota 7% -13% -3% -41% -83% -58%Miss iss ippi 28% 9% 9% -41% -51% -1%Missouri -19% -19% -24% -62% -60% -74%Montana 22% 44% 22% -92% -91% -63%Nebraska 25% 7% -14% -60% -71% 8%Nevada -24% -5% 2% -66% -38% -59%New Hampshire 31% -18% 1% -75% -75% 90%New Jersey 5% -5% 10% -46% -84% -21%New Mexico 2% 7% 4% -76% -58% 12%New York -6% -8% -9% -66% -63% 95%North Carol ina 0% -3% -1% -6% 30% -45%North Dakota 3% -4% 3% -70% -82% -38%Ohio 2% 1% -9% -49% -12% -49%Oklahoma -4% 140% -16% -53% 62% -15%Oregon miss ing miss ing miss ing -78% -66% 25%Pennsylvania 6% 5% -39% -46% -69% -72%Rhode Is land 33% -2% -1% -70% -72% 16%South Carol ina 8% 6% -4% -68% 75% -3%South Dakota -18% -22% -9% -90% -76% -35%Tennessee 15% 2% 5% -12% -58% 10%Texas -5% -6% -5% -60% -57% 10%Utah 22% 153% 5% -42% 21% -12%Vermont 16% 1% -61% -41% -21% -94%Virginia -3% -6% -1% -69% -62% -66%Washington -12% 2% 1% -86% -78% -76%West Virginia 40% 14% 13% -65% -17% -18%Wiscons in -9% -4% 3% -82% -82% -59%Wyoming 4% -47% -3% -81% -97% -61%Recent Trends:% change in rate 2011-2012NeglectSexual AbuseUS StatesLong-term Trends:Sexual AbusePhysical AbusePhysical Abuse Neglect% change in rate 1992-2012Table 2:  Child Maltreatment Fatality Trends: 2011-2012 U p d a t e d  T r e n d s  i n  C h i l d  M a l t r e a t m e n t ,  2 0 1 2  P a g e  3  The NIS studies used consistent and standardized definitions of child maltreatment and gathered reports directly from communi-ty professionals in schools, hospitals, day care and settings, avoid-ing problems created when state agencies change their stand-ards, practices or their data systems. The comparison of rates from 1993 to 2008 in NIS-3 and NIS-4 largely tracked the patterns shown in the NCCANDS data over the same period.  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/natl_incid/index.html  Another study was unable to show that worker caseload (an effect of cutbacks, for example) was related to declines  (Almeida, Cohen, Subramanian & Molnar, 2008). In addition, victim self-report surveys show declines in sexual offenses  and physical as-saults against children over the same period, also confirming a decline in true underlying incidence (For a summary of some of these supporting surveys, see Finkelhor & Jones, 2012. http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV267_Have%20SA%20%20PA%20Decline_FACT%20SHEET_11-7-12.pdf).   Questions will certainly be asked about whether the 2011-2012 increases in physical abuse, sexual abuse and fatalities were relat-ed to ongoing economic difficulties and high unemployment. It is interesting that violent crime reported to police also increased from 2011-2012 for the first time in many years. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/violent-crime/violent-crime.  Unfortunate-ly,  it is unwise to draw inferences about abuse or crime trends based on a single year. Other information on child homicide trends are available at this link:  http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Child%20Homicide%20and%20Maltreatment%20Fatality%20Rates%2012-11.pdf There is currently no consensus in the child maltreatment field about why sexual abuse and physical abuse substantiations have declined so considerably over the longer term, although a recent article and book suggest some possible factors (Finkelhor & Jones, 2006; Finkelhor, 2008).  The period when sexual and physical abuse started the dramatic downward trend was marked by sus-tained economic improvement, increases in the numbers of law enforcement and child protection personnel, more aggressive prosecution and incarceration policies, growing public awareness about the problems, and the dissemination of new treatment options for family and mental health problems, including new psychiatric medication.  While some have suggested community notification laws as a possible explanatory factor, the passage and implementation of these laws actually occurred well after the sexual abuse decline was underway. US States   Child Maltreatment Fatalities Count       2011 Count       2012 % Change 2011-2012 Alabama 11 21 91% Alaska 3 4 33% Arizona 34 30 -12% Arkansas 12 33 175% California 123 128 4% Colorado 31 40 29% Connecticut 8 6 -25% Delaware 1 3 200% District of Columbia (DC) 3 2 -33% Florida 133 179 35% Georgia 65 71 9% Hawaii 2 3 50% Idaho 3 missing missing Illinois 82 108 32% Indiana 34 23 -32% Iowa 10 7 -30% Kansas 10 8 -20% Kentucky 32 26 -19% Louisiana 45 42 -7% Maine 1 missing missing Maryland 10 26 160% Massachusetts missing missing missing Michigan 75 63 -16% Minnesota 15 10 -33% Mississippi 13 7 -46% Missouri 36 20 -44% Montana 0 2 0% Nebraska 7 6 -14% Nevada 19 18 -5% New Hampshire 2 1 -50% New Jersey 22 16 -27% New Mexico 15 16 7% New York 83 100 20% North Carolina 19 24 26% North Dakota 1 1 0% Ohio 67 70 4% Oklahoma 38 25 -34% Oregon 19 17 -11% Pennsylvania 37 38 3% Rhode Island 3 1 -67% South Carolina 15 23 53% South Dakota 3 6 100% Tennessee 29 31 7% Texas 246 215 -13% Utah 11 12 9% Vermont 2 0 -100% Virginia 36 33 -8% Washington 20 21 5% West Virginia 16 5 -69% Wisconsin 24 31 29% Wyoming 1 2 100% Total 1527 1574   National estimate 1557 1620 4% There is no obvious reason why neglect trends have differed so sharply from those of sexual and physical abuse (Jones, Finkel-hor & Halter, 2006). One possibility is that neglect has not de-clined as much because it has not been the subject of the same level of policy attention and public awareness as sexual and physical abuse.  Another possibility is that increased education and recent state and professional initiatives about neglect, including the identifi-cation of new forms of neglect like drug-affected newborns, has masked a decline in other conventional types of neglect.   There is a great deal that can potentially be learned by search-ing for the sources of changes in the child maltreatment data. It is unfortunate that information about the trends in child mal-treatment are not better publicized and more widely known.  The long-term decline in sexual and physical abuse  may have important implications for public policy. These trends deserve more discussion, analysis and research.    Additional information about trends in child abuse and neglect is available at: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/Trends/index.html. U p d a t e d  T r e n d s  i n  C h i l d  M a l t r e a t m e n t ,  2 0 1 1  P a g e  4  REFERENCES Almeida, J., Cohen, A. P., Subramanian S. V., Molnar, B. E. (2008). Are increased worker caseloads in state child protective service agencies a potential explanation for the decline in child sexual abuse?:   Multilevel analysis.  Child Abuse and Neglect, 32(3), 367-375. Finkelhor, D. (2008).  Childhood victimization.  New York:  Ox-ford University Press. Finkelhor, D., & Jones, L.M. (2012). Have sexual abuse and physical abuse declined since the 1990s? Durham, NH: Crimes against Children Research Center. Finkelhor, D., & Jones, L. M. (2006). Why have child maltreat-ment and child victimization declined?  Journal of So-cial Issues, 62, 685-716.  Jones, L. M., Finkelhor, D., & Kopiec, K. (2001).  Why is sexual abuse declining?: A survey of state child protection administrators.  Child Abuse and Neglect, 25, 1139-1158. Jones, L. M., Finkelhor, D., & Halter, S. (2006). Child maltreat-ment trends in the 1990s: Why does neglect differ from sexual and physical abuse? Child Maltreatment, 11(2), 107-120. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administra-tion on Children, Youth and Families. (2013). Child Maltreatment 2012. Washington, DC:  U.S. Govern-ment Printing Office. 

Updated trends in Child Maltreatment, 2012.

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Updated trends in Child Maltreatment, 2012.

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