In 1997, CPS agencies investigated an estimated 2 million reports alleging the maltreatment of almost 3 million children. More than half of all reports alleging maltreatment came from professionals, including educators, law enforcement and justice officials, medical and mental health professionals, social service professionals and child care providers. About 25 percent of reports came from relatives of the child or from the child himself. Reports from professionals are more likely to be substantiated or indicated than reports from nonprofessional sources. More children suffer neglect than any other form of maltreatment.
Some children suffer more than one type of maltreatment.
Child abuse and neglect affect children of all ages. Among children confirmed as victims by CPS agencies in 1997, more than half were 7 years of age or younger, with about 26 percent younger than 4 years old. Case-level data from 16 States suggest that the majority of victims of neglect and medical neglect were younger than 8 years old, while the majority of victims of other types of maltreatment were age 8 or older. Both boys and girls experience child maltreatment. In 1997, about 52 percent of victims were female and 48 percent were male.