Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS–4)

Figure 8–10.Changes in Investigation Rates for Endangerment Standard AbuseAcross NIS CyclesThe sexual abuse investigation rate increased marginally in the NIS–4, up to56% from its NIS–3 level of 44%, but it remained marginally lower than its high of 75%at the time of the NIS–2.CPS investigation of Endangerment Standard physical abuse showed nostatistically reliable change since the NIS–3; it remained marginally lower than its levelduring the NIS–2 (52% versus 64%).Figure 8–11 depicts the changes in rates of CPS investigation ofEndangerment Standard neglect since the NIS–2, the study that first introduced theEndangerment Standard. Compared to NIS–3 CPS investigation rates for EndangermentStandard neglect, the NIS–4 investigation rates for overall neglect and emotional neglectwere significantly higher (41% versus 28% and 50% versus 22%, respectively). Theserecent increases brought the investigation rates for these categories to levels that arestatistically equivalent to the NIS–2 rates.Because the definition of educational neglect is identical under the twodefinitional standards, the pattern in Figure 8–11 is identical to that shown in Figure 8–4.The discussion of that earlier figure provides the details.8–17