»DECLINE IN CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE-2001 January:
The Decline in Child Sexual Abuse Cases. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs: Special Report, Lisa Jones and David Finkelhor (January 2001).

While recent reductions in juvenile crime—offenses by youth—have generated some media coverage, the decline in child sexual abuse— offenses against youth—has received far less attention. Yet, we know that the sexual exploitation of children can have significant impact on its victims and even contribute to an intergenerational cycle of violence and abuse. Child protective services agencies report that the increases in child sexual abuse that marked the 1980’s were followed by a protracted period of substantial declines in the 1990’s. From 1992 to 1998, for example, substantiated cases of child sexual abuse decreased by nearly a third.

» By David Finkelhor:
Church news obscures overall decline in abuse! The falloff in clergy-abuse allegations parallels a nationwide drop in sexual-abuse cases in general. From 1992 to 2001, state child-protection agencies have seen a 42% decline in substantiated sexual abuse, falling from a high of 150,000 cases annually to fewer than 87,000. The decline has occurred in almost all states and in almost all forms of child molestation.

Much less abuse appears to have occurred in the past decade. Priest-abuse incidents fell and stayed well below 100 per year since 1993, compared with 500 or more per year during the nearly two decades starting in the late 1960s.

Many believe this disparity will disappear with time. It has taken 20 or 30 years for the victims of earlier abuse to bring forth their allegations. Maybe we just need to wait. But it is surprising that, despite all of the intense publicity and a very different contemporary climate about the problem, more recent cases haven't surfaced.

Skeptics worry that this just signals an increased reluctance to report offenses or more conservative investigation practices by child-welfare authorities. But a new study released by the U.S. Department of Justice analyzed the experience of several states and concluded that such explanations could not account for the breadth and persistence of the decline.

That study also found other evidence that fewer children are being abused. In self-reporting surveys, including the large National Crime Victimization Survey, fewer youth said they had been sexually assaulted or abused in 2000 and 2001 than said so a decade earlier. ... more ... (Editorial/Opinion: USA Today 3-2-2004)

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»EDUCATOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT: A Synthesis of Existing Literature-2004:
Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Planning and Evaluation Service, Office of the Undersecretary U.S. Department of Education: Special Report, by Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D., Professor, Foundations, Leadership and POlicy Studies, Hofstra University and Managing Director, Interactive, Inc.(March 2004).

REPORT (150 pgs PDF file):
Section 5414 of the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001," as amended, in the "No Child Left Behind Act" authorizes a national study of educator sexual misconduct. This synthesis reviews existing data which relate to educator sexual misconduct including the methods used to collect that data. The phenomena examined in this synthesis include behavior by an educator that is directed at a student and intended to sexually arouse or titillate the educator or the child. Educator inlcudes any person, older than 18, who works with, or for, a school or other educational or learning organization. Adults covered by this review might be teachers, counselors, school administrators, secretaries, bus drivers, coaches, parent volunteers, lunchroom attendants, tutors, music teachers, special education aides, or any other adult in contact in a school related relationship with a student.

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»CHILD MALTREATMENT-2002 Released 2004-April:
Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Human Services: Special Report, by National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (DHHS) (April 2003).

FACT SHEET (2pgs PDF file)(Full Report Below):
This fact sheet summarizes Child Maltreatment 2001, a publication that provides child abuse statistics submitted by states to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) during 2001. Highlighted topics include investigations of child abuse and neglect; victims of maltreatment; perpetrators; fatalities; and services. Nationwide, more than two-thirds of referrals received were investigated. The maltreatment rate was 12.4 per 1,000 children in 2001. Fifty-seven percent of the children were neglected, 19 percent were physically abused, and 10 percent were sexually abused. The vast majority of children were maltreated by one parent, usually the mother. Approximately 1,300 child deaths were ...

»CHILD MALTREATMENT-2002 Released 2004-April:
Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Human Services: Special Report, by Walter R. McDonald and Associates, American Humane Association (April 2003).

FULL REPORT (150 pgs PDF file):
Topics include sources of reports; time for response; victimization rates; types of maltreatment; age, race and gender of victims; age and gender of perpetrators; relationship of perpetrators to the victim; number of child fatalities; and types of services provided. Nationwide, more than two-thirds of referrals received were investigated. Fifty-nine percent of the investigated cases were later classified as unsubtantiated. The maltreatment rate was 12.4 per 1,000 children in 2001. Fifty-seven percent of the children were neglected, 18.6 percent were physically abused, and 9.6 percent were sexually abused. The vast majority of children were maltreated by one parent, usually the mother. ...

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[-KENTUCKY-] »RECIDIVISM-2000 ----:
Two Year Recidivism Follow-Up Of 7,579 Inmates Released in 2000, (16 pg PDF file)

Kentucky Department of Corrections: Recidivism, by Kentucky's definition is, an individual's return to the Department of Corrections within two years of release from a state institution or contract facility, by parole, shock probation, or completion of sentence. Individuals are returned as technical violators or with a new sentence.

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[-MICHIGAN-] »RECIDIVISM-2004 January:
Recidivism of Michigan parolees released from 1990 through 2000, Legal Issues and Court Cases Affecting Sex Offenders (January 2004).

A study of 70,989 prisoners released from Michigan prisons from 1990 through 2000. Statistics tabulated by crime types. Excepting for Homicide, Sex Offenders have the lowest recidivism rate!

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[-MINNESOTA-] »RECIDIVISM-1997 January:
Recidivism of Adult Felons, 1992-1995, A Program Evaluation Report (109 pg PDF file)

Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor: This study addresses these three questions: 1) Towhat extent are convicted Minnesota felons subsequently arrested, convicted, and imprisoned, and how do these rates compare with those found in other states? ; 2) How is recidivism related to offenders' criminal history, conviction offense, personal characteristics, program participation, and other factors? What type of new offenses do convicted felons commit? ; 3)Do recidivism rates measure progress toward important state goals, and should such rates be reported regularly?

The state tracked 1,879 offenders released from prison in 1992, and, 6,791 offenders sentenced to probation in 1992. For each offender, they examined recidivism for exactly three years from release or sentence to probation..

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[-OHIO-] »RECIDIVISM-1996 August:
Five Year Recidivism Follow-Up Of 1989 Sex Offender Releases, (33 pg PDF file)

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction: The purpose of the report is to determine basline recidivism rates for sex offenders released from Ohio's prisons. The information is important in understanding the proportion of sex offenders who return to Ohio's prisons, as well as the nature of their recidivism crimes.

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[-OHIO-] »RECIDIVISM-2001 April:
Ten Year Recidivism Follow-Up Of 1989 Sex Offender Releases, (30 pg PDF file)

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction: This report examined characteristics of 879 sex offenders who were released in 1989. Information on the rate of return to Ohio prisons for ANY new offense, including technical violations, was collected, particular interest was given to the number of NEW sex offenses.

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» SEXUAL ASSAULT OF YOUNG CHILDREN AS REPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT-2002 July:
Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics! Presents findings from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) regarding sexual assault, especially of young children. The data are based on reports from law enforcement agencies of 12 States and covers the years 1991 through 1996. The report presents sexual assault in 4 categories: forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling. 7/00 NCJ 182990

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMZATION-2004 August:
Criminal Victimization, 2003! Presents estimates of national levels and rates of personal and property victimization for the year 2003. Rates and levels are provided for personal and property victimization by victim characteristics, type of crime, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and reporting to police. A special section of this annual report is devoted to trends in victimization rates from 1993 to 2003. Estimates are from data collected using the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), an ongoing survey of households that interviews about 75,000 persons in 42,000 households twice annually. Violent crimes included in the report are rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault (from the NCVS), and homicide (from the FBI's UCR program). Property crimes examined are burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft.

Highlights include the following:: A) During 2003, 24% of all violent crime incidents were committed by an armed offender; 7% by an offender with a firearm.; B) Persons who have been historically the most vulnerable to violent crime - male, blacks, and youths - continued to be victimized at higher rates than others in 2003. C)Rates of robbery and assault did not change from 2002 to 2003, while the rate for rape/sexual assault declined marginally.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMZATION-2003 August:
Criminal Victimization, 2002! Presents national levels and rates of personal and property victimization for the year 2002. Rates and levels are provided for personal and property victimization by victim characteristics, type of crime, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and reporting to police. A special section is devoted to trends in victimization from 1993 to 2002.

Highlights include the following:: A) Overall violent victimization and property crime rates in 2002 are the lowest recorded since the inception of the NCVS in 1973. B) The rate of violent crime dropped 21% from the period 1999-2000 to the period 2001-02.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION-2002 August:
Criminal Victimization 2001: Changes 2000-2001 with Trends 1993-2001! Presents national levels and rates of personal and property victimization for the year 2001. Rates and levels are provided for personal and property victimization by victim characteristics, type of crime, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and reporting to police. A special section is devoted to trends in victimization from 1993 to 2001.

Highlights include the following: A) The violent crime rate fell 10% 2000-2001, due primarily to a significant decrease in the rate of simple assault. B) The overall property crime rate fell 6% between 2000-2001 because of decreases in theft and household burglary rates.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION-2001 August:
Criminal Victimization 2000: Changes 1999-2000 with Trends 1993-2000! Presents national levels and rates of personal and property victimization for the year 2000. Rates and levels of personal and property victimization by victim characteristics, type of crime, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and reporting to police are provided. A special section is devoted to trends in victimization from 1993 to 2000.

Highlights include the following: A) According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the violent crime rate fell 15% and the property crime rate fell 10%, 1999-2000. B) Overall property crime rates fell between 1999 and 2000 due to a decrease in theft and a slight decline in motor vehicle theft.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION-2000 August:
Criminal Victimization 1999: Changes 1998-99 with Trends from 1993-99! This report presents 1999 criminal victimization levels and rates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Other findings included are victim characteristics, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and trends in victimization rates from 1993 to 1999.

Highlights include the following:: A) According to National Crime Victimization Survey data, from 1998 to 1999 the overall violent crime rate declined 10% and the property crime rate fell 9%. B) Victimization rates in 1999 are the lowest recorded since the survey's creation in 1973.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION-1999 August:
Criminal Victimization 1998: Changes 1997-98 with Trends 1993-98! Presents the 1998 findings from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Violent crime rates declined 7%, and property crime rates fell 12% from 1997 to 1998. The 1998 rates are the lowest recorded since the survey's inception in 1973. This report also summarizes other findings, including the characteristics of victims, and examines trends in victimization rates from 1993 to 1998.

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» CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION-1998 December:
Criminal Victimization 1997: Changes 1996-97 with Trends 1993-97! This report summarizes criminal victimization levels and rates in 1997. It also includes other findings about the characteristics of victims, and it examines trends in victimization rates from 1993 to 1997.

Highlights include the following:: A) The NCVS property and violent crime rates are the lowest recorded since the survey's inception in 1973 (after rates were adjusted following the 1992 NCVS redesign). B) The downward trend in violent victimization begun in 1994-95 continued in 1997. C) In 1997, violent crime rates were 21% lower than they had been in 1993. Property crime rates were 22% below 1993 property crime rates. D) The recent decreasing violent and property crime trends were experienced by most segments of the populations. However, in 1997, the violent victimization rates for persons age 50 and older were no lower than they had been in 1993. E) The violent and property crime rates each declined by 7% in 1996-97.

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