The Scope, Nature, and Causes of Child Abuse and Neglect

• DOI: 10.1177/0002716220969642
• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Date: 01 November 2020
• Author: Sarah A. Font,Kathryn Maguire-Jack

26 ANNALS, AAPSS, 692, November 2020

DOI: 10.1177/0002716220969642

The Scope,

Nature, and

Causes of Child

Abuse and

Neglect

By

SARAH A. FONT

and

KATHRYN MAGUIRE-JACK

969642ANN The Annals of the American AcademyThe Scope, Nature, and Causes of Child Abuse and Neglect

research-article2020

Child maltreatment is a complex problem affecting mil-

lions of children in the United States every year. This

article examines existing knowledge on the scope,

nature, and causes of child abuse and neglect. First, we

review the discordant definitions and conceptualiza-

tions of child maltreatment and consider the implica-

tions of broad and narrow definitions for the size and

scope of the child welfare system and for child safety.

Second, we provide an assessment of the quality and

comprehensiveness of existing data for understanding

the incidence rates and trends in child abuse and

neglect. Third, we review theory and evidence on the

causes of child maltreatment, with particular attention

to whether and how social policy can reduce its preva-

lence. Last, we provide recommendations for improv-

ing the use of data and scientific evidence in child

welfare policy and systems.

Keywords: child maltreatment; child welfare system;

risk factors; measurement; data

Over the past several decades, states have

developed and expanded their child

welfare systems with growing federal oversight

to effectively prevent and respond to child mal-

treatment. Over this same period, research and

data to understand child maltreatment has pro-

liferated. Yet core questions remain unanswered:

How many children experience maltreatment

today? How much have rates changed over time

and why? How effective are existing systems

in identifying children in need of protection?

Sarah A. Font is an assistant professor of sociology at

the Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses

on the policies and practices of the child welfare system

and the experiences and outcomes of system-involved

children.

Kathryn Maguire-Jack is an associate professor of social

work at the University of Michigan. She studies child

maltreatment prevention with a focus on understanding

contextual risk and protective factors. She has expertise

in program evaluation and public policy.

Correspondence: Saf252@psu.edu

THE SCOPE, NATURE, AND CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 27

What policies are most effective for reducing child maltreatment? These ques-

tions evoke important social values about the scope and size of government; roles

of federal, state, and local governments; children’s rights; and parental autonomy.

In this article, we review these debates and, where possible, we draw on available

research and data to make recommendations about how to move forward. We

begin with a review of how child maltreatment is defined—in federal policy, in

states’ civil and criminal statutes, and in research—and explore the implications of

broadening or narrowing definitions. Beyond definitions, we then describe the

difficulties and limitations associated with estimating rates of child maltreatment.

To this end, we draw on numerous population-level or nationally representative

survey datasets to compare estimates of the incidence and prevalence of child

maltreatment. These comparisons highlight the extent to which official statistics

on victimization (based on confirmed reports to child protective services [CPS])

underestimate exposure to abuse and neglect among U.S. children. Underestimates

of child maltreatment rates may lead to an underinvestment in resolving this prob-

lem. We then turn to a discussion of the causes of child maltreatment, with special

emphasis on factors that may be malleable through social policy changes. Last, we

provide recommendations about how investments in data and research can be

leveraged to inform policy reforms, improve the child welfare system, and better

protect children from abuse and neglect.

Scope and Nature of Child Maltreatment

This section reviews definitions of child maltreatment, describes approaches to

measuring maltreatment, and reviews existing estimates of the incidence and

prevalence of child maltreatment.

What is child maltreatment?

Child maltreatment has a range of definitions, with variability across and within

countries; between civil and criminal statutes; and across legal, lay, and academic

perspectives. Further, variability in measurement reflects differences in defini-

tions, standards of evidence, and sources of information. In the United States, the

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), originally passed in 1974

(P.L. 93-247), provides the federal definition of child maltreatment: “Any recent

act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death,

serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or fail-

ure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” This definition

encapsulates a fairly broad range of actions and inactions that can be defined as

child maltreatment but narrows the focus to perpetrators in caregiving roles.

Typically, the child welfare system focuses on maltreatment perpetrated by indi-

viduals who are responsible for the child, consistent with the primary mandate of

child safety. The child welfare system receives and investigates allegations of child

maltreatment through CPS and provides in-home and foster care services to