Crime, Violence and Abuse in the Lives
of Children:
A Comprehensive Approach
David Finkelhor
Crimes against Children Research Center
University of New Hampshire
Social Justice for Children
Brooklyn College, NYC
4 November 2011
© 2011 Children’s Studies Center, Brooklyn College
Children More Victimized than Adults,
General Crime
Agg.
Assault
Simple
Assault
Rape Robbery
National Crime Victimization Survey, 2000
0
1
2
3
4
You
th R
isk
- A
du
lt R
isk
(12
-17)
2.0 x
2.9 x
2.3 x
1.9 x
Youth Have More Serious Crime Victimization
National Crime Victimization Survey, 2001
Adult Adult
Youth
Youth 5.7
10.1
5.7
15.8
Rural Youth More Victimized than Urban Adults
National Crime Victimization Survey, 2001
Youth (12-17) Adults
Statistical Gaps
• Crime victimization youth <12, annual
• Child molestation, victimizations or arrests,
annual
• Child abductions, annual
• Abuse by teachers, clergy, youth serving
orgs
• Children exposed to domestic violence
• Bullying, annual
• Much, much more….
5
Infectious Diseases Designated as Notifiable at the
National Level During 2005
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Anthrax
Botulism
Brucellosis
Chancroid
Chlamydia trachomatis, general infection
Cholera
Coccidioidomycosis
Cryptosporidiosis
Cyclosporiasis
Diptheria
Domestic arbovital diseases, neuroinvasice and
non-neuroinvasive
California serogroup virus disease
Eastern equine encephalitis virus disease
Powassan virus disease
St. Louis encephalitis virus disease
Ehrlichiosis
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection
EHEC O157:H7
EHEC Shiga toxin-positive, serogroup non-O157
EHEC Shiga toxin-positive, not serogrouped
Giardiasis
Gonorrhea
Haemophilus influenzae, invasive disease
Hansen disease (leprosy)
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
Hemolytic uremic syndrome, postdiarrheal
Hepatitis A, viral, acute
Hepatitis B, viral, acute
Hepatitis B, chronic
Hepatitis B, virus infection, perinatal
Hepatitis C, viral, acute
Hepatitis C, virus infection (past or present)
Infectious Diseases Designated as Notifiable at the
National Level During 2005 (cont).
Influenza-associated pediatric mortality
Legionellosis
Listeriosis
Lyme disease
Malaria
Measles
Meningococcal disease, invasive
Mumps
Pertussis
Plague
Poliomyelitis, paralytic
Psittacosis
Q fever
Rabies
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rubella
Salmonellosis
Streptococcal disease, invasive, group A
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome
Streptococcus pneumoniae, invasive disease
Syphilis
Tetanus
Toxic-shock syndrome (other than streptococcal)
Trichinellosis
Tuberculosis
Tularemia
Typhoid fever
Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus infection
(VISA)
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection
(VRSA)
Varicella infection
Yellow fever
JVQ Modules
Module A: Conventional Crime
– Robbery
– Personal Theft
– Vandalism
– Assault with Weapon
– Assault without Weapon
– Attempted Assault
– Kidnapping
– Bias Attack
Module B: Child Maltreatment
– Physical Abuse by Caregiver
– Psychological/Emotional Abuse
– Neglect
– Custodial Interference/Family Abduction
Module C: Peer & Sibling Victimization
– Gang or Group Assault
– Peer or Sibling Assault
– Nonsexual Genital Assault
– Peer physical harassment
– Peer emotional harassment
– Dating Violence
Module D: Sexual Victimization
– Sexual Assault by Known Adult
– Nonspecific Sexual Assault
– Sexual Assault by Peer
– Rape: Attempted or Completed
– Flashing/Sexual Exposure
– Verbal Sexual Harassment
– Statutory Rape & Sexual Misconduct
Module E: Witnessing & Indirect Victimization
– Witness to Domestic Violence
– Witness to Parent Assault of Sibling
– Witness to Assault with Weapon
– Witness to Assault without Weapon
– Burglary of Family Household
– Murder of Family Member or Friend
– Witness to Murder
– Exposure to Random Shootings, Terrorism or Riots
– Exposure to War or Ethnic Conflict
Victimization in Last Year
Total and Selected Aggregates (Children 0-17, N=4549)
61
46
6 10
25 25
3-year running average
Major Victimization Types by Victim Age
Physical Assault
Witness Violence Property Victimization
Maltreatment
Sexual Victimization
Any Victimization
Indirect Exposure
to Violence
NATSCEV PY weighted
ANOVA includes sex, age, race/ethnicity, family structure and SES.
Poly-victims
“Poly-Victims”: Number of Past Year Victimizations and Trauma Symptoms
Priorities
• Evaluation of Prevention Strategies
– Parenting support and education
– School-based education
Improved Epidemiology
Trends in Children’s Exposure to Violence
U.S. Official and Survey Data
Sources: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book, NCANDS, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), School Crime Supplement to the NCVS (SCS), Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey (HBSC), Child Trends
0.00
20.00
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
120.00
140.00
160.00
180.00
200.00
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
Grand Mean
Survey Data Mean
Official Data Mean
(36 indicators)
(26 indicators)
(10 indicators)
Source: NCANDS
Sexual Abuse Substantiation Rates:
1990-2009
61% Decline (1992-2009)
Rat
e p
er 1
0,0
00
Chil
dre
n (
<1
8)
5% Decline
(2008-2009)
Physical Abuse Substantiation Rates:
1990-2009
55% Decline (1992-2009)
Rat
e p
er 1
0,0
00
Chil
dre
n (
<1
8)
0% Decline
(2008-2009)
Source: NCANDS
Possible Mechanisms
Economic improvement
Increased agents of social intervention
More effective interventions
Psychopharmacology
Aggressive policing
Changing norms and awareness
Technology and surveillance
Finkelhor, D. (2008). Childhood victimization: Violence, Crime, and Abuse in the Lives of Young People. New York: Oxford University Press.
Daniel Schneider Child Welfare Book of the Year Award
For more information contact:
David Finkelhor
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc
© 2011 Children’s Studies Center, Brooklyn College