Objectives: The training of physicians, nurse examiners, social workers and other health professional on the evidentiary findings of sexual abuse in children is challenging. Our objective was to develop peer reviewed training cases for medical examiners of child sexual abuse, using a secure web based telehealth application (TeleCAM). Methods:…

This article analyzes trends in the coverage of child sexual abuse in popular magazines since the early 1990s. The article employs systematic analysis to identify and analyze articles in four popular magazines. Articles are analyzed by subject, length, and publication. The results affirm established theories of newsworthiness related to the…

This brief discusses the findings of the Fourth Federal National Incidence Study on Child Maltreatment (NIS 4), which reports a significant reduction in the overall rate of child maltreatment since the 1993 NIS. The study reflects substantial drops in the rates of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse. However, no significant changes…

Objectives: At 6 sites serving 21 communities, Alaska implemented Healthy Families Alaska, a home visitation program using paraprofessionals designed to decrease child abuse and neglect. The primary study objective was to compare changes over time in Child Protective Services outcomes by Healthy Families Alaska enrollment status. Methods:…

This study examined child, parent, and case characteristics over 4 years in 200 cases of serious child maltreatment in Boston, Massachusetts. Comparison with 1985-1986 cases (before relevant state legislative changes) found children permanently removed from parental custody in the 1994 sample required only slightly less time to achieve permanent…

With awareness growing that schools are disciplining and suspending minority students at alarming rates, the report provides powerful evidence that young people placed in the juvenile justice system-predominately minority males incarcerated for minor offenses-are receiving a substandard education. The report, "Just Learning: The Imperative to…

The report catalogues the status of state legislation regarding the elements dealing with child abuse and neglect and analyzes the trends, issues, and problems of selected subject areas in which public policy may not yet be fully developed. Addressed are the following subject areas: reportable conditions (definition of abuse and neglect); persons…

This study examined recent literature describing the Shaken Infant Syndrome and compared it to John Caffey's original descriptions in 1946. Retrospective evaluation of 71 recent cases and 27 case examples offered by Caffey was also performed. Results indicated the recent cases more likely to involve impact trauma, male perpetrators, and admission…

This article presents descriptive data on almost 20,000 substantiated cases of child abuse/neglect which occurred over a 6-year period in U.S. Air Force families. The paper discusses annual percentage increases in child maltreatment reports, substantiation rates for abuse, programs serving military personnel and families, and offenders' and…

This article examines the characteristics of victims and abusers in Hong Kong child abuse cases in 1995 and compares findings with child abuse cases in 1979. Results indicate an increase in female victims and in sexual abuse. In 1995, abusers were also more likely to be of either gender. (CR)

Questioned Straus and Gelles' (1986) conclusion that child and wife abuse were substantially lower in 1985 than in 1975. Refined cohort analysis to apply to data, demonstrating that changes in age structures of adult and child population explained most of reported reduction. Much remaining change may have resulted when respondents' reactions to…

Compared physical violence rates in Black families (N=147) of 1975 First National Family Violence Survey and its 1985 replication (N=576). Compared Black family sample to general survey respondents (1975, N=2,143; 1985, N=6,002). Found decline in violence toward Black women, Black-to-White ratio increase for violence toward men and children, and…

This national survey of 5,941 households examined violence toward children, including the distribution of violence, how the nature of violence toward children is changing, the effectiveness of intervention and prevention efforts, where more prevention and treatment resources are currently needed, and identification of high-risk groups. (Author/JDD)

Despite a significant federal role in permanency planning as evidenced by Public Law 96-272, child welfare remains primarily a state responsibility and the states vary considerably in their approaches to it. In January 1986, a 50-state survey on major child welfare issues was conducted. The project was begun in 1983 as an attempt to ascertain…

This study compared the rate of physical abuse of children from a 1975 study with the rates from a 1985 replication study. Both studies used nationally representative samples (2,143 families in 1975 and 3,520 families in 1985), and both found an extremely high incidence of physical assaults against children which were severe enough to constitute…