Introducing the Issue

VOL. 19 / NO. 2 / FALL 2009 3 In 2007, the families of 1.86 million American children were investigated for child maltreatment, and 720,000 children—more than one in every hundred—were identified by state agencies as having been abused or neglected, most often by one of their parents. More than 1,500 children died as a result of maltreatment.1 Not all children who are maltreated come to the attention of the child protection system (CPS) and not all child deaths caused by maltreatment are recorded as such. These high rates of maltreatment are a cause for grave concern. Maltreatment often has profound adverse effects on children’s health and development. It can lead to permanent physical and mental impairments. A large body of research indicates that maltreated children are more likely than others to suffer later from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, poor physical health, and criminal activity.2