Essay - Child Abuse and Neglect in America Introduction Child Abuse Is...

Child abuse and neglect in America

INTRODUCTION

Child abuse is a problem that has a major cost to society. It is said that more children are reported to have sustained abuse and neglect in ***** than ***** any other industrialized nation. (CWLA, 1997)

Firstly, there is a cost ***** the child, including a physical one, a psychologic*****l one and a soci*****l *****. The most obvious impact ***** to the child's health. Annual figures for child abuse have reported over 2 million cases of abuse or neglect and around *****000 child fatalities as a result of ***** and *****. (NCCAN, 1992)

There are also continuing effects on both the ***** psychology and ********** interaction with society. Child abuse is often related ***** ongoing problems ***** the child fitting into society. Results that have been shown in studies vary from learning difficulties, depression and anxiety to the ***** being more likely to take part in ant*****ocial behaviour. (Drucker, 1997)

We see ***** that the effect on society as a whole is also a concern, with ***** victims of child abuse ***** likely to: become violent crime offenders; attempt suicide; ***** drugs and alcohol; run away ***** home; engage in teenage prostitution; and commit sexual assault crimes. (Carter, 2000)

The financial costs to society can also be considered. It is ***** that child protective agencies spend $3,500 per child ***** investigate ***** abuse and provide short-term services, this amounts to $3 billion per year. (*****, 1997) A further $6 billion is spent annually on associated ***** such as out-of-home c*****. (CWL*****, 1997)

***** has been ***** in various studies that their ***** a signifi*****t correlation between poverty and child *****. The poverty rate ***** America is higher than in ***** other *****dustrialized nation, with 1992 figures showing 22 ***** cent of all ********** lived below the poverty line and ***** also showing that this figure is increasing. (*****, 1997)

We ***** seen ***** child abuse has short term effects on both the *****d children and on society ***** ***** longer term effects. Even with the resources directed at preventing child abuse, ***** occurrence of it continues to grow. W*****h ***** also increasing, there is a need ***** fully understand the factors relating to child abuse so that effective prevention programs can be designed.

BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Incidence

Not only are the incidence of child ***** alarmingly high, the figures also show increasing *****. The ***** comprehensive study ***** ***** abuse in America is reported in the Third National Incidence Study of ***** Abuse (NIS). This last study was completed in 199*****, with the previous one which allows the growth of child abuse ***** be seen, completed ***** 198*****.

In this latest report, twice as many children were ***** ***** being abused than in the previous one and ***** total number ***** seriously injured and endangered ***** both quadrupled. (NCCAN, 1996.)

The research ***** compiled with several types of neglect considered. These included ***** abuse, physical neglect, emotional ***** and physical abuse. The following shows