Child MaltreatmentPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-01-07DOI: 10.1177/10775595241312186
Leanne Heaton, William Sabol, Miranda Baumann, Arya Harison, Charlotte Goodell
{"title":"The Effects of Socioeconomic Contextual Factors on Racial Differences in CFSR-3 Permanency Outcomes.","authors":"Leanne Heaton, William Sabol, Miranda Baumann, Arya Harison, Charlotte Goodell","doi":"10.1177/10775595241312186","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10775595241312186","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We examined the role of state and county socioeconomic contextual characteristics in explaining Black-White child differences in permanency within one year of foster care entry. We estimated race-specific hierarchical linear models consisting of individual-level demographic and case characteristics of children, state and county socioeconomic contextual factors, and CFSR-3 performance-improvement plans. Findings showed that socioeconomic contextual characteristics were significantly associated with permanency for Black and White children in different ways. Rises in per capita income increased permanency for Black and White children. Conversely, increases in unemployment and SNAP recipiency decreased permanency for Black and White children. Expansions in public welfare benefits for children in female headed households increased permanency for White children but decreased permanency for Black children. County variation in effects and the permanency gap between White and Black children imply the need for further race-specific research on the efficacy of localized, cross-system responses that address socioeconomic conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"540-552"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142956909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Child Protection Responses to Domestic Violence Exposure: Co-Occurring Safety Concerns and Investigation Outcomes.","authors":"Rebecca Rebbe, Bryan Victor, Stephanie Cuccaro-Alamin, Lindsey Palmer","doi":"10.1177/10775595241301085","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10775595241301085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Childhood exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) poses significant risks to children's safety and wellbeing, yet its prevalence and impact on child protection outcomes remains understudied. This study examined administrative data for child protection investigations in Los Angeles County, California between January 2018 and March 2021 to determine the prevalence of CEDV safety concerns, associated case characteristics, and child protection outcomes (case openings and foster care placements). Results indicated that 5.9% of investigations had CEDV concerns and CEDV investigations represented 17.9% of placements. Investigations with CEDV concerns had higher co-occurring indicated safety concerns than investigations without, including substance abuse (31.1%) and mental health (14.2%). Investigation outcomes for those with CEDV concerns included the substantiation of more than one individual (36.6%), while 28.4% resulted in case openings (without placement) and 30.2% resulted in placements. The study underscores the importance of moving beyond punitive frameworks and exploring the use evidence-based service planning to address the complex needs of families affected by CEDV.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"486-498"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12144326/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142629894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Child MaltreatmentPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-01-21DOI: 10.1177/10775595251314035
Theodore P Cross, Elizabeth M Cross, Camille Cooper, Daphne Pellegrino, Glen Pounder, Stefan Turkheimer, Simon Bailey
{"title":"Characteristics of Child Sexual Abuse Material in Peer-to-Peer Networks and Predictors of its Severity: Insights From Filenames.","authors":"Theodore P Cross, Elizabeth M Cross, Camille Cooper, Daphne Pellegrino, Glen Pounder, Stefan Turkheimer, Simon Bailey","doi":"10.1177/10775595251314035","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10775595251314035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Internet has empowered millions of perpetrators who create and consume <i>child sexual abuse material</i> (CSAM), the current term replacing <i>child pornography.</i> In this study, we coded data from a random sample of 2980 filenames from files shared in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks from U.S. IP addresses in 2021. Most filenames referenced girls and just under half referenced children aged 5 to 12. A wide variety of child races, ethnicities and nationalities were referenced. Over half of filenames described a sexually abusive act, most of which referenced penetration. The abuse referenced was more severe when filenames referenced children under the age of 13, both girls and boys, incest, and/or children or youth of color. The findings underline the harm to children from CSAM, suggest the value of a racial justice perspective on CSAM, and support the need to search for CSAM as part of contact child sexual abuse investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"473-485"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Child MaltreatmentPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-01-09DOI: 10.1177/10775595241311260
Gabriel W Hassler, Lynsay Ayer, Arielle H Sheftall, Beth Ann Griffin, Elie Ohana
{"title":"Age-Based Trends in Suicidal Ideation Among Child Welfare System-Involved Youth.","authors":"Gabriel W Hassler, Lynsay Ayer, Arielle H Sheftall, Beth Ann Griffin, Elie Ohana","doi":"10.1177/10775595241311260","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10775595241311260","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Youth involved with the child welfare system (CWS) exhibit elevated rates of suicidal ideation. This study explores age-, sex-, and race-specific trends of suicidal ideation among 7-18-year-olds within the CWS. Utilizing data from all three versions of the National Survey for Child and Adolescent Well-Being (<i>N</i> = 5783), which included nationally representative samples of CWS-involved youth, we stratified the sample by age, sex, race, and ethnicity to observe subpopulation-specific trends. Our analysis estimated rates of self-reported suicidal ideation in each demographic stratum. Notably, we discovered that 7-10-year-old males and females reported higher rates of suicidal ideation (∼26%) than any other demographic group except 15-16-year-old females (∼27%). This trend was consistent across all racial and ethnic subgroups. Additional investigations are required to identify the causes of these elevated rates in younger children and to determine if this trend extends to children outside the CWS.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"387-393"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142956908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Child MaltreatmentPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-01-15DOI: 10.1177/10775595251314173
Margaret C Stevenson, Christian R Picot, Molly A Rivers
{"title":"Adolescence Does Not Divert Sex Offending Adolescents of Color from Criminal Legal System Involvement.","authors":"Margaret C Stevenson, Christian R Picot, Molly A Rivers","doi":"10.1177/10775595251314173","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10775595251314173","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>After the United States Civil War, during Reconstruction, Southern states targeted Black youth and men for incarceration and forced labor, often charging them with rape, spawning the Black male rapist myth. This study explores evidence of a Reconstruction-era ethos in present-day treatment of youth of color accused of sexual assault. Specifically, we examined effects of perpetrator age and race on legal outcomes in 382 alleged child sexual abuse cases. There were 291 adult perpetrators (91% men, <i>M</i> age = 34; 76% White, 20% Black, 2% biracial, 2% Latinx, and 1% Asian) and 91 adolescent perpetrators (96% boys, <i>M</i> age = 14; 73% White, 22% Black, 4% biracial, and 1% Latinx). Supporting hypotheses, adolescent (vs. adult) perpetrators were less frequently arrested or referred for prosecution-but only when they were White. In contrast, for perpetrators of color, being an adolescent (vs. an adult) did not reduce arrest or prosecutorial referral likelihood. Additionally, cases involving adolescents of color (vs. White adolescents) were more immediately criminally investigated. Thus, youthfulness does not proffer protection from criminal legal system involvement for adolescents of color accused of sex offending-evidence of modern and persistent racism rooted in a nation's past.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"447-459"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the Area-Level Link Between Poverty and Different Types of Child Maltreatment: Is Neglect the Most Pronounced?","authors":"Yun Young Kim, Hyunil Kim","doi":"10.1177/10775595251349780","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251349780","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We investigated whether poverty is primarily associated with neglect while showing weaker links to other forms of child maltreatment at the zip code level. To do this, we analyzed relationships between child poverty rates and maltreatment report rates for neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse across all Illinois zip codes from 2014 to 2018 (<i>N</i> = 1354). Our analysis showed that the unstandardized effect sizes for neglect were larger than those for physical and sexual abuse, primarily due to the higher prevalence of neglect reports, which leads to a larger absolute change. However, because unstandardized effect sizes are influenced by the prevalence of outcomes, they are not ideal for comparing the strength of relationships. In contrast, standardized effect sizes, which are not affected by outcome prevalence, were consistently strong and nearly identical across all maltreatment types. This indicates that the relationship between area-level poverty rates and maltreatment report rates is similarly strong for neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse, rather than being notably stronger for neglect. Practically, this suggests that efforts to reduce child maltreatment in impoverished areas should encompass all types of abuse, rather than focusing primarily on neglect.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"10775595251349780"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144259127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tayler M Jones-Cieminski, Margaret Stevenson, Bette L Bottoms
{"title":"More Severe Juror Sexual Abuse Strengthens Empathy for Child Sexual Abuse Victims: Meta-Analyses.","authors":"Tayler M Jones-Cieminski, Margaret Stevenson, Bette L Bottoms","doi":"10.1177/10775595251338541","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251338541","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Jones et al. (2020) showed that compared to non-abused others, sexually abused jurors are more likely to empathize with child sexual abuse (CSA) victims, perceive victims as credible, and convict defendants in CSA mock trials. We extend these findings by investigating effects of sexually abused mock jurors' abuse <i>severity</i> on CSA victim empathy and trial judgments. Data were derived from all known mock trial studies measuring mock juror abuse history (<i>N</i> = 7), including 361 undergraduate jurors. Meta-analyses examined effects of four separate abuse-severity indices: (a) emotional scarring from sexual abuse, (b) abuse frequency, (c) perpetrator relationship, and (d) age abuse began. Twenty separate meta-analyses revealed that the more severe mock jurors' victimization was, the more empathy they had for child victims of sexual abuse generally. Although Jones et al. (2020) showed that victims are more likely than non-victims to vote guilty in CSA cases, we found that, among victims, abuse severity has no additional effect on guilt. Thus, attorneys will not achieve a legitimate legal goal by questioning victims about intimate details of their abuse during jury selection. Moreover, because victimization is one of many unique experiences from which jurors can draw during deliberation, it is important not to disproportionately exclude these individuals as jurors.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"10775595251338541"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144200552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Csenge B Bődi, Diana P Ortega, Kerryann Walsh, Melissa A Bright
{"title":"Community-Based Victimization Prevention Education for Children and Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Csenge B Bődi, Diana P Ortega, Kerryann Walsh, Melissa A Bright","doi":"10.1177/10775595251345432","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251345432","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face a high risk of victimization (including child abuse, neglect, bullying), yet prevention strategies for this population remain underrepresented and under-evaluated. This scoping review analyzes ten community-based victimization prevention programs for youth with IDD (ages 10-25) across North America, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia. Programs varied in structure, content, and teaching strategies, with all delivered over multiple sessions and most including evaluations of learning outcomes or implementation quality. However, none were adapted on a broad scale across multiple settings, populations, or geographic regions or addressed multiple forms of victimization. Given the effectiveness of prevention education in related fields, rigorous evaluation and tailored, evidence-based approaches are needed to enhance their impact. This review highlights existing programs, their methodologies, and the available evidence on their effectiveness, identifying key areas for future research and development in victimization prevention for children and youth with IDD.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"10775595251345432"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144175335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Child, Family and Societal Factors Related to Neglect Recurrence After CPS Investigation.","authors":"Robin Ortiz, Vincent J Palusci","doi":"10.1177/10775595251345686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251345686","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Identifying families with increased risk and preventing child neglect recurrence are important goals for the child protection system and the public health priority to mitigate Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). While much has been studied about the factors leading to neglect, less is known about the specific factors contributing to neglect recurrence after CPS investigation. We used Child Files from FY2015-2020 in the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and the Neglect and Prevention Policies Dataset to first describe recurrence and then to identify the contributions of child, family, report characteristics, state neglect definitions, and CPS post investigation service referrals. We found that confirmed child maltreatment of all types most often recurs as neglect, but there are also significant proportions of children who have a second confirmed report with the same type of maltreatment. There are significant associations with neglect recurrence for exposures at all levels of the socioecological model including some child, family and report factors, and more state definitions are associated with more confirmed neglect recurrence. The effects of race were blunted when adjusted for family financial factors. Some post-investigation services were associated with decreased neglect recurrence, but most were not. CPS agencies and states can look for certain case characteristics and provide services to reduce neglect recurrence.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"10775595251345686"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prevalence of Suspected Medical Child Abuse in the School Setting: A Study of School Nurses.","authors":"Gianni A Hansen, James C Hamilton","doi":"10.1177/10775595251345065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251345065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We conducted a nation-wide online survey of school nurses in the United States to estimate the prevalence of suspected medical child abuse (MCA) among seriously ill or disabled students attending elementary or pre-school. Prior to being informed of our interest in MCA, the nurses identified a single seriously ill or disabled student to report on and provided information about themselves, the selected student, and the student's caregiver. They were then told the true purpose of the study and asked to rate their suspicions that the student they had selected was a victim of MCA, and at the very end of the survey we asked all the nurses if they worked with a student who they suspected was experiencing MCA. Prevalence of suspected MCA among the blindly selected seriously ill or disabled students, was 23127 per 1000. Half the nurses completing the survey reported they currently cared for a suspected MCA victim, suggesting a minimum prevalence of 22/1000 among seriously ill or disabled students in their care. The results suggest the setting of school nursing holds potential as both a venue for research on MCA and an important setting for finding and helping victims of MCA.</p>","PeriodicalId":48052,"journal":{"name":"Child Maltreatment","volume":" ","pages":"10775595251345065"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144129164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}