The Senate has designated April as National Child Abuse Prevention month due to a growing concern for the well-being of American children. The 2008 Child Maltreatment Study compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated 772,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect; in 2008, an estimated 1,740 children died as a result. Many states face problems protecting children. Los Angeles County Child Welfare department stated they receive 173,000 reports a year of child abuse or neglect and manage a caseload of 32,000 children. In New Brunswick, Georgia all children were removed from Safe Harbor Children’s Center after allegations of heinous physical and emotional abuse were brought against the center. Some accusations included0 children being deprived of food, served rotten food, locked in closets, and being drugged to sleep. U.S. children need the media’s help in bringing this horrible issue to the forefront.
“Judge: Center no ‘Safe Haven,’” Louie Brogdon, The Brunswick News, thebrunswicknews.com, 9/17/2010, 9/18/2010, 9/21/2010, 9/24/2010, 9/27/2010, 9/29/2010, 10/11/2010
“L.A. Child Welfare System Near ‘Crisis,’” Tamara Audi, The Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865704575610951315250676.html, 11/13/2010
“Senate Passes Senator Collins` Resolution Designating April as Child Abuse Prevention Month,” Liz Johnson, CQ Congressional Press Releases, 4/28/2010
Student investigators: Cara Peracchi Douglas, Sarah Schmidt, and Katie Whitney
Faculty evaluator: Steven D. Walker, professor of criminology at Fresno State