NCJ Number
138144
Date Published
1992
Length
87 pages
Annotation
This report describes the design and development of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), issues that emerged during the data collection and analysis, and findings for 1990.
Abstract
The data were collected from August 15 to September 30, 1991, to help States determine what adjustments would be necessary in their data collection systems to fully implement the summary data part of the database. The States reviewed and confirmed their data during January and February 1992. The survey produced data on the youth population for each jurisdiction, the number of reports of child abuse and neglect, the number of children involved, sources of the reports, the investigations of the reports, the characteristics and outcomes of the victims of maltreatment, and the relationships between perpetrators and victims. Results revealed that an estimated 42 percent of the 1.7 million reports were substantiated. About 51 percent of the reporting sources were professionals, 28 percent were community and family members, and 22 percent were anonymous or other. About 52 percent of the victims were female; about 37 percent were under age 6; and just under 11 percent were age 15 or older. Figures; tables; and appended survey instrument, methodological information, and addresses for each State