CANTS Ann SCR

During fiscal year 1997 (July 1, 1996 to June 30, 1997), the State Central Register received 355,579 calls. This was only about 3,000 more calls than were received the previous fiscal year. Not all calls to the hotline result in a report of suspected child abuse or neglect. Some calls are simply requests for information. Only one in every 5 calls resulted in a report during the fiscal year. The number of calls received each of the last 10 fiscal years is presented in Figure 1.

During state fiscal year 1997, 119,405 children were reported as suspected victims of child abuse and/or neglect (Table 1). This number represents a "duplicated" count of children since a child may be reported more than once during a fiscal year. For the past two fiscal years, the number of children reported has decreased from the previous year. This decrease is due, in part, to a change in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act in fiscal year 1996, that amended the law to exclude children already living safely with relatives as being neglected children.

Table 1 Number of Children Reported As Abused or Neglected
Fiscal Year	Children Reported	Percent of Change from Previous Fiscal Year
1987	91,714	30.2%
1988	94,086	2.6%
1989	102,230	8.7%
1990	103.420	1.2%
1991	107,307	3.8%
1992	130,562	21.7%
1993	125,342	-4.0%
1994	136,312	8.8%
1995	139,718	2.5%
1996	125,220	-10.4%
1997	119,405	-4.6%

Table 2 Number of Children Indicated for Abuse and Neglected
Fiscal Year	Children Indicated	Percent of Change from Previous Fiscal Year
1987	38,857	14.8%
1988	41,329	6.4%
1989	40,932	-1.0%
1990	38,209	-6.7%
1991	37,304	-2.4%
1992	43,169	15.7%
1993	42,220	-2.2%
1994	49,536	17.3%
1995	53,368	7.7%
1996	44,754	-16.1%
1997	42,251	-5.6%

Tables 3 and 4 provide a breakdown of certain characteristics of reported and "indicated" child victims by age, gender and ethnicity. Children ranging from newborn through 9 years composed 70% of the reported child abuse/neglect population. The same group accounted for 72.4% of the "indicated" report victims in FY 97.

Slightly more females than males were the subjects of reported and "indicated" child abuse and neglect reports. The figures in the ethnic grouping reveal a significant over-representation of African-American children as victims in reported and "indicated" child abuse/neglect. This is most apparent when reviewing the "rate per 1,000"* category. African-American children were reported victims at a rate of 85.7 per 1,000 and "indicated" as victims at a rate of 32.6 per 1,000. This contrasts sharply with white and Hispanic children who were reported at a rate of mid-20's per 1,000 and "indicated" at a rate of less than 10 per 1,000.

TABLE 3 Age, Gender, Ethnic Group Children Reported as Abused and Neglected Fiscal Year 1997
Child Characteristics	Number of Children	Percent	Rate per 1,000
Age of Child
00-02	27,424	23.0%	45.9
03-05	26,403	22.1%	51.4
06-09	29,278	24.5%	24.1
10-13	21,525	18.0%	19.3
14-17	14,208	11.9%	23.1
Not Reported	506	0.5%
Gender of Child
Male	58,342	48.9%	38.7
Female	59,797	50.1%	41.6
Not Reported	1,266	1.1%
Child's Ethnic Group
White	57,638	48.3%	27.1
Black	47,391	37.7%	85.7
Hispanic	9,884	8.3%	24.7
Other/Not Specified	4,492	3.8%
Total	119,405	100.0%	40.5

Table 4 Age, Gender, Ethnic Group Children Indicated for Abuse and Neglect Fiscal Year 1997
Child Characteristics	Number of Children	Percent	Rate per 1,000
Age of Child
00-02	11,579	27.4%	19.4
03-05	9,042	21.4%	17.6
06-09	9,958	23.6%	8.2
10-13	7,260	17.2%	6.5
14-17	4,380	10.4%	7.1
Not Reported	32	0.1%
Gender of Child
Male	20,465	48.4%	13.6
Female	21,541	51.0%	15.0
Not Reported	245	0.6%
Child's Ethnic Group
White	19,245	45.5%	9.1
Black	18,046	42.7%	32.5
Hispanic	3,539	8.4%	8.8
Other/Not Specified	1,421	3.4%
Total	42,251	100.0%	14.3