• An estimated 3,154,000 children were reported to child protective service agencies as alleged victims of child abuse or neglect in 1998, and approximately one million of these reports were confirmed.

• Approximately three children died each day in the United States from abuse or neglect in 1997.

• While the nation’s overall crime rate fell 22 percent from 1993 to 1997, reports of child abuse and neglect grew by 8 percent and confirmed cases increased 4 percent.

• During the period 1993-1997, Prevent Child Abuse America estimates that over 5,000 children died from abuse or neglect in the United States.

• Forty-five out of 1,000 children were reported as abused or neglected and 14 children out of 1,000 were confirmed as abused or neglected in 1998.

• Fifty-one percent of the reported cases in 1998 involved neglect, while 25 percent involved physical abuse, 10 percent involved sexual abuse, 3 percent involved emotional abuse and 11 percent were related to other forms of child maltreatment.

• One-half of all Americans believe child abuse and neglect is the most important public health issue facing this country, compared to other public health issues like drug and alcohol abuse, heart disease, cancer and HIV/AIDS.

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