CJ 333

Unit 7

• Child abuse is RARELY one incident. It’s usually more then one incident by one or both parents. When one form present, usually other abuse exists in the home as well.

Mandatory Reporters

• Child daycare providers

• Foster care providers

• Mental health providers

• Medical personnel

• Social Services

• Legal, law enforcement

• Education personnel

• Child daycare providers .6%

• Foster care providers .9%

• Mental health providers 4.1%

• Medical personnel 8.4%

• Social Services 10.0%

• Legal, law enforcement 15.8%

• Education personnel 16.5%

Battered Child Syndrome

• Coined in 1962

• “Repeated mistreatment of beating of a child that results in physical & psychological injuries”

• No exact # but millions each yr worldwide

• 31,000 deaths by homicide in 2002 worldwide

• Millions more nonfatal abuse & neglect

• In US alone, 3.6 million investigation for abuse during 2006. ¼ determined to be abused or neglected.

• Children under 1 are at highest risk of death due to abuse or neglect. Boys more likely then girls to die.

Types of Maltreatment 2006

• Neglect

• Physical abuse

• Medical neglect

• Sexual abuse

• Psychological abuse

• Other

• Unknown

• Neglect 64.1%

• Physical abuse 16.0%

• Medical neglect 2.2%

• Sexual abuse 8.8%

• Psychological abuse 6.6%

• Other 15.1%

• Unknown 1.2%

4 primary categories

• Emotional or Psychological Abuse

• Neglect

• Physical Abuse

• Sexual Abuse

Neglect

• Deprivation of adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care of supervision

• Most common form of abuse

• More than 64% of maltreated children were neglected by their parents or other caregivers in 2006.

• Neglect usually present when other forms of abuse occurs.

• The most frequent cause of death was neglect.

• Under 4 are most vulnerable to being killed by abuse or neglect

• More then ¾ of children that die due to child abuse and neglect were younger then 4.

• Many still go unreported.

• Estimated that 50-60% of child deaths from abuse and/or neglect are not recorded as such.

• Education neglect

• Emotional neglect

• Medical

• Physical

Ages of victims 2006

• <1 24.4%

• 1-3 14.2%

• 4-7 13.5%

• 8-11 10.7%

• 12-15 10.2%

• 16-17 6.3%

Race/Ethnicity of Victims

• African American 19.5%

• Am. Indian/Alaska 16.5%Native

• Pacific Islander 16.1%

• White 10.8%

• Hispanic 10.7%

• Asian 2.5%

• 15.5 million American children (0-17) that live in dual-parent family witness family violence or abuse. That’s 30% of children living in US.

• Repercussions?????

Child Victims and the Courts

• Treated differently from adults– Close the courtroom during child’s testimony– Hand drawn pictures ok victim impact state.– Allow leading questions to be asked– Use of anatomical dolls – 2 way closed circuit tv testimony

Child custody cases

• May consider domestic violence as a factor

• Child’s rights over parental rights• Deny custody & visitation to spouse &

child batterers• > ½ states allow sexual assault & stalking

by a parent to be considered as a factor • Did batterer participate in an education

program

Military

• Family violence is a serious problem

• Contributing factors?– Deployments– Reunifications– Constant relocations

• Stress % behavioral problems with kids

• Child abuse by female parent left behind tripled when spouse deployed to combat

• What more do we need to do in the US to combat this problem?– Military?– Children?– Generational patterns?