In fact, more than one-third of female state prison and jail inmates say they have suffered abuse or neglect as children. About 14 percent of male inmates make similar statements. A successful, early intervention program of comprehensive services will spare the anguish suffered by many of our children, as well as, save taxpayer dollars. This figure is based on the difference between the 471 thousand dollars spent for a typical youth offender between the ages of 9 and 12, and the 40 thousand-dollar cost for five years of intensive intervention with one at risk family. Another connection between child abuse and neglect and crime comes not from criminal activities by the abused or neglected, but from the crimes committed against children.
Adequate funding is critical in the crusade against child abuse and neglect.
I strongly urge you to double the Children s Justice Act cap from 10 million to 20 million dollars. These funds are put to good use by states in a number of different ways, including establishment of child death review teams, creation and training for multidisciplinary child protection teams, and the creation of regional child abuse and neglect diagnostic centers. The Children s Justice Act also supports the training of professionals in related disciplines. For instance, physicians are trained to perform and testify about child abuse medical examinations. Law students receive training in effective legal representation of abused and neglected children, and clinical psychologists are trained in victim trauma treatment.