Black children, according to a new national analysis, are in nearly every state more likely to be involved in a child maltreatment case. The report, unlike in previous research, broke down the child welfare system not only by state but by race.

While states and localities have different approaches to child welfare, there are some commonalities across jurisdictions. Roughly one in nine children in the U.S. will experience a confirmed maltreatment case, with Black children having an increased risk and Asian children having the lowest risk.

The Research Publication

Researchers with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Rutgers University, Princeton University, Washington University in St. Louis, Yale School of Medicine, Columbia University, and Duke University contributed to the research paper, titled “State-Level Variation in the cumulative prevalence of child welfare system contact, 2015-2019.”

According to the paper, over one-third of children will experience a maltreatment investigation, but the chances of it occurring varies a great deal by race. For example, in Indiana, Black children faced the highest risk in the country at 79 percent. Indigenous children in Alaska had a 73 percent cumulative risk.

Only 5 percent of children are placed in foster care, but black children in West Virginia have the highest overall percentage at 32 percent.

In the last category—parental rights being terminated, a requisite step to adoption—West Virginia once again had the highest percentage overall at 8 percent.

Changes to PA Child Abuse Laws

While Kentucky ranked the highest for confirmed maltreatment at 27 percent of children, Pennsylvania had the lowest rank—but this was before the law in Pennsylvania in 2014 was changed to include neglect under maltreatment, lowering their numbers. The statute now has expanded to include anyone knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly causing harm to a child under the age of 18. It also contains provisions around human trafficking.

For a full list of potential child abuse charges in Pennsylvania, click here.

A Call for Reform

While the authors were clear that more analysis needs to be done to determine the causes, the data make it clear that within a given state, children of different ethnic groups had “dramatically different risks” of involvement with the child welfare system, with Black children having starkly different experiences from white kids.

Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection, asserted that child protection agencies have become more of a policing body, at times “confusing family poverty with neglect” and targeting the poorest families, which often means Black and Native American.

Accusations of Child Abuse Are Serious

Anyone accused of abusing a child—whether through a custody dispute or another reporting mechanism—will worry about being presumed guilty. Legal counsel experienced in fighting these allegations can salvage reputations and set the record straight.

Our Criminal Law Team represents clients in Philadelphia County and throughout Pennsylvania. Call (888) 535-3686 right now for a review of your case so we can begin developing the strongest possible legal defense.