When children are sexually victimized, they are damaged in a complex way. The damage can be beyond our capacity to heal. Victims often become offenders. The Criminal Justice Policy Council discusses in its report some of the data relating to victims becoming offenders. CPS treats many victimized children in programs for the offenders that they have become.
Treatment is expensive and cure is uncertain.
Finally, a word needs to be said about demographics. Recall that of all the states, Texas has the second largest number of children and the largest proportion of children to total population. If child abuse and neglect is linked first to juvenile crime and later to adult crime, as the Texas Criminal Justice Policy Council says, the sheer number of children in Texas make child abuse and neglect a serious public safety issue. We must seriously consider the recommendations of the National Institute of Justice. B. Triage as Policy 1.