ARET was formed in 1991 by Professors Richard McCleary and Kenneth Chew in response to an invitation to analyze child abuse case records at OCSS using questions and methodology of their own devising. OCSS's vision and the size and richness of its archives, combined with UCI's analytical capabilities, present extraordinary potential for breakthrough research on child abuse prevention.
Students work pro bono , though generally receiving research course credit.
ARET is a registered UCI student organization with a membership totalling more than 25 students and faculty. Its alumni have already established an enviable record of admission to postgraduate academic and professional programs. Its current activities include the hosting of a UCI-community conference on child abuse prevention research.