Elsevier

Child Abuse & Neglect

Volume 20, Issue 11, November 1996, Pages 1003-1018
Child Abuse & Neglect

Understanding the relationship between neighborhood poverty and specific types of child maltreatment

https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(96)00091-9Get rights and content

Abstract

In this paper we examine the relationship between neighborhood poverty and three different types of child maltreatment; neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. We explore both rates of reporting and rates of substantiated reports across low, moderate, and high poverty areas. We use 1990 Census data and Child Protective Services (CPS) data to study this relationship. We find that neighborhood poverty is positively associated with all three forms of child maltreatment, but to different degrees. Of the three types of child maltreatment, child neglect is most powerfully associated with neighborhood poverty status.

Résumé

Cet article examine le lien entre la pauvreté du voisinage et 3 types de maltraitance: la négligence, les mauvais traitements physiques et l'abus sexuel. Nous explorons aussi bien les signalements que les signalements confirmés dans des quartiers pas trés pauvres, modérément pauvres et très pauvres. Nous utilisons le Recensement 1991 et les données des Services de Protection de l'Enfance pour étudier ce lien. Nous trouvons que la pauvreté du voisinage est associée positivement aux trois types de maltraitance, mais à des degrés divers. Des trois types de maltraitance, c'est la négligence qui est le plus associée à la pauvreté du voisinage.

Resumen

En este artículo se estudia la relación entre la pobreza del vecindario y tres tipos diferentes de maltrato infantil: negligencia, maltrato fisico, y abuso sexual. Se exploran las tasas de notificaciones y de notificaciones confirmadas en areas de pobreza baja, moderada, y alta. Para estudiar esta relación se utilizan datos del censo de 1990 y datos de los Servicios de Protección Infantil. Se encuentra que la pobreza del vecindario está asociada positivamente con las tres formas de maltrato infantil, pero en grados diferentes. De los tres tipos de maltrato, la negligencia es la que está asociada de manera más intensa con la pobreza del vecindario.

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