Indicator 5: Child Abuse & Neglect

Why This Is Important

Young people, especially young children, depend upon adults for their basic safety needs. Young
people who are victims of abuse and/or neglect have difficulty developing through the passages of
childhood and adolescence to being adults. In addition, sometimes victims of abuse or neglect
perpetrate those same actions on others.

Where We Stand

The Maine Bureau of Child and Family Services received 13, 870 reports of possible child abuse or
neglect in 1998 and this number rose to 17,017 by 2004. In 1998 57% were judged to meet legal
criteria allowing investigation by Child Protective Services and this percentage dropped to 52% by
2004 . In 1998 approximately 20% of the reports alleging child abuse/neglect were substantiated,
meaning that abuse and or neglect had in fact occurred. However, this number has dropped
significantly to less than 14% in 2004.

Data Sources and Context

Data comes from the Bureau of Child and Family Services, Maine Department of Health and Human Services