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

DATA COLLECTIONThe goals of the NIS–4 data collection were to maximize agency and sentinelparticipation and to collect complete and accurate data forms on every maltreated child whomsentinels identified or whom CPS agencies accepted for investigation during the NIS–4 referenceperiods. The NIS–4 used two 3-month reference periods (9/4/05–12/3/05 and 2/4/06–5/3/06).Table A–4 shows the distribution of the NIS–4 sample across these reference periods.Table A–4.Distribution of PSUs, Counties, and Agenciesby Reference PeriodReference Period PSUs CountiesCPSAgencies8541SentinelAgencies754340Fall 200572 83Spring 2006 38 39Total 110 122 126 1,094CPS agencies provided data on all cases they accepted for investigation that werereported during their assigned reference period, whereas sentinels described all maltreatedchildren they encountered whose maltreatment occurred during their assigned reference period.CPS agencies also provided summary level data about cases they accepted during the monthfollowing their reference period for special analyses to explore the effects of allowing more timefor reports to CPS, especially on children sentinels observed late in their reference period.The fall and spring reference periods required two cohorts of field managers in thehome office and local coordinators in the field. Local coordinators lived in or near the NIS–4counties. They trained sentinels, motivated them throughout the data collection period, collectedsentinel data forms, trained CPS agency staff (as needed), and coordinated CPS data collectiontasks (as needed). Subsets of local coordinators were actively working over a 22-month periodfrom September 2005 through June 2007. Most sentinel data collection activity coincided withthe two 13-week reference periods, but CPS data collection extended for more than a yearbeyond the end of the second reference period due to agencies’ schedule, budget, or staffingconstraints and the challenges of negotiating data extracts from agencies’ electronic informationsystems.A-14