Several studies suggest that more children suffer from abuse or neglect than are evident in official statistics from State CPS agencies. Based on reports received and investigated by CPS, about 13.9 percent children per 1,000 younger than 18 in the general population were victims of abuse or neglect. It is also estimated that 42 per 1,000 children per population were harmed or endangered by maltreatment. Previously, the rate of maltreatment had been on the increase between 1990 and 1996, with an overall increase for that period of 18 percent. Neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment.
Many children suffer more than one type of maltreatment.
Children age 3 and under accounted for more than three-quarters of these child fatalities. About 13 percent of all perpetrators were classified as noncaretakers or unknown. Over 80 percent of all perpetrators were under age 40. Overall, approximately 62 percent of perpetrators were female, although perpetrator gender differed by type of maltreatment. Neglect and medical neglect were most often attributed to male perpetrators.