California Fact Sheet

Quick two-page fact sheet on child abuse and neglect

New Hope for Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in California

Child Abuse News

Too many of California's police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and other law enforcement leaders are arresting or prosecuting adults whom they first met as victims of child abuse and neglect. In 2004, over 98,000 California children were confirmed as abused or neglected. Though most abused or neglected children grow up to be productive adults, research shows that kids are nearly one-third more likely to be arrested for violent crimes later in life if they have been abused. We can prevent most child abuse and neglect and reduce future crime. Quality in-home parent coaching programs have been shown to cut child abuse and neglect in half. The programs provide a range of support to low-income, first-time mothers before their child is born and through the earliest years. Nurses or other trained professionals help parents manage stress, understand newborn health and nutrition needs, identify early warning signs, make their home child-safe, teach practical steps to meet their child's developmental needs. The program saves as much as $4 for every $1 dollar invested. Yet, due to underfunding, only a fraction of the estimated 500,000 at-risk families nationally are being helped.

When kids are seriously abused and neglected, they need the protection of high-quality foster care. Research shows that leaving kids in dangerous homes where they face continuing abuse and neglect increases the risk by 27 percent that they will become violent criminals. Four out of 10 children who are seriously abused and neglected and left in their homes, but later need to be placed in foster care because of further abuse, commit violent crimes when they grow up.

Reports

All Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California reports on child abuse and neglect prevention, in-home parent coaching and foster care:

"Kids who've been traumatized by abuse or neglect are very resilient, but they need help from knowledgeable adults to heal to the point where they can lead positive lives. California's law enforcement leaders say that kids in foster care, victims of abuse and neglect and other at-risk children should be the top priority for new state mental health funds."

-John D. Hensley, Costa Mesa Police Chief

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• A poor mother who had been abused or neglected as a child is 13 times more likely to abuse or neglect her children than mothers who were not abused.
• Children of mothers not in an in-home parent coaching program had more than twice as many arrests as the children of mothers who received services.