Three children die each day in the United States as a direct result of child abuse or neglect. Eighteen thousand children are left permanently disabled each year from injuries received at the hands of parents or caretakers. Every two minutes , a child in this country becomes a victim of child abuse. The cost of child maltreatment is staggering. Every year, it costs the nation over 9 billion dollars to deal with the consequences of child abuse and neglect.
Life is equally perilous for children in Nevada.
Seventeen children died in Nevada last year as a result of child abuse or neglect. There are many serious problems in our state that threaten the future of our children. In 1996, there were 13,558 reported cases of child abuse and neglect. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Nevada is also the fastest growing state. Population impaction results in poverty, unemployment, and crime, substance abuse, and despair.