Why We Need to Take Action

An estimated one out of every four children in California is directly exposed to violence as a victim or witness. ¹

In 2002, over seven-hundred thousand children were referred for investigation for child abuse and neglect. ²


The number of children in foster care in California has tripled over the last 15 years. ³

Young children exposed to violence are at increased risk for developmental and behavioral problems that can manifest in school as Attention Deficit Disorder, Hyperactivity Disorder or Seriously Emotionally Disturbed classifications. These children are at serious risk for school failure. ⁴

Childhood abuse and neglect increase the odds of arrest as a juvenile by 59 percent, arrest as an adult by 28 percent, and arrest for a violent crime by 30 percent. ⁵


California has the highest rate of juvenile incarceration in the country. ⁶


In the United States alone from 1996 to 1998 there were more than 5 million children exposed to some form of severe traumatic event such as physical abuse, domestic and community violence, motor vehicle accidents, chronic painful medical procedures and natural disasters. These experiences can have a devastating impact on children.⁷


The Centers for Disease Control has identified four broad strategies that are effective in preventing youth violence. Two of these work by preventing children's exposure to violence through parent-based and family-based interventions and home visits. ⁸


Home visitation by nurses is a cost-effective method for reducing family violence and improving outcomes for at-risk children. Two years of nurse home visiting costs just $12,000 per child, and saves up to $24,000 per child by the time the child reaches
age 15. ⁹


Every year, 3 to 10 million children witness domestic violence. ¹⁰

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Reference List

1. "Helping Traumatized Children: A Brief Overview for Caregivers," by Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D., ChildTrauma Academy, August 1999

To view other articles please visit: Bruce D. Perry Articles

2. California Department of Social Services, Child Welfare Services/Case Management System, Preplacement Preventative Services, December, 2002

3. Barbara Needell, M.S.W., Ph.D. and Stephanie Cuccaro-Alamin, Graduate Researcher, University of California at Berkeley Children's Services Archive at the Center for Social Services Research

4. "Helping Traumatized Children: A Brief Overview for Caregivers," by Bruce Perry, M.d., Ph.D., ChildTrauma Academy, August 1999

To view article in full please visit: Helping Traumatized Children

5. "An Update on the 'Cycle of Violence'," National Institute of Justice Research Brief, February 2001, Cathy S. Widom and Michael G. Maxfield

6. "State Custody Rates 1997," Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/National Center on Juvenile Justice, December 2000

7. Perry, B.D. "Traumatized children: How childhood trauma influences brain development. In: The Journal of the California Alliance for the Mentally III 11:1, 48-51, 2000

8. "Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000

To view article in full please visit: CDC:Injury, Violence & Safety

9. "Early Childhood Interventions: Benefits, Costs and Savings," Rand Research Brief 5014, 1998

To view article in full please visit: RAND Research Brief

10. "The Future of Children: Children and Domestic Violence," L. Carter and C. Stevens, 9(3), 1999