Child Maltreatment

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

Printer-friendly

Child Maltreatment

Q:	What is known about substantiated or indicated child maltreatment?
A:	In 2006, child protective services investigated more than 3.6 million reports of maltreatment - 25% of these reports were substantiated.

Characteristics of child maltreatment victims, 2006

Estimated number of victims	905,000

Victimization rate*	12.1

Age
0 to 3	31%
4 to 7	24%
8 to 11	19%
12 to 15	19%
16 to 17	6%

Gender
Male	48%
Female	52%

Race/ethnicity
White	49%
Black	23%
Hispanic	18%
American Indian/Alaskan Native	1%
Asian/Pacific Islander	1%
Multiple race	2%
Unknown/missing	5%

Maltreatment type**
Neglect	64%
Physical abuse	16%
Sexual abuse	9%
Psychological maltreatment	7%
Medical neglect	2%
Other abuse	15%
Unknown/missing	1%

Notes: *Rate is per 100,000 children under 18 in the U.S. population. **A child may have been a victim of more than 1 type of maltreatment, and therefore, the total percent may equal more than 100%. A child was counted as a victim each time he or she was found to be a victim of maltreatment. This table is based on sample data reported by a varying number of states. Age and sex data were reported by 49 states & D.C., & Puerto Rico; data on multiple race was reported by 39 states & D.C., while 48 states & D.C. reported data on the remaining race/ethnicity groups; data on maltreatment type were reported by as few as five states (unknown type) to as many as 49 states, along with D.C. and Puerto Rico. (physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse).

[ Excel file ]

Nearly 3 of every 10 maltreatment victims in 2006 were infants or toddlers ages 0–3.
Females made up just over half (52%) of all maltreatment victims in 2006.
Nearly half of all victims were white (49%), nearly one-quarter were black (23%) and nearly one-fifth (18%) were Hispanic.
Neglect (64%) was the most common form of maltreament in 2006.
An estimated 1,530 children died as the result of maltreatment.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02102.asp?qaDate=2006. Released on September 12, 2008.

Data Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2006. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008.