Delaware Police Chiefs Urge Congressional Delegation to Support Child Abuse Prevention Programs
Jun 8th 2009
Contact:
Matt Lambert
National Communications Director
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
202.631.0128
mlambert@fightcrime.org
WILMINGTON, DEL. -- Wilmington Police Chief Michael Szczerba joined Elsmer Chief Liam Sullivan at a news conference today to call on Delaware's congressional delegation to ensure that proven child abuse and prevention programs are included in health care reform legislation currently before Congress. They released a report showing that voluntary home visits for at-risk families can significantly reduce cases of abuse and neglect and cut crime in the long run.
In 2007, 2,116 children were confirmed victims of abuse and neglect in Delaware, although that number could be as high as 6,300, because most cases of abuse and neglect go unreported. The Delaware law enforcement leaders said child abuse and neglect contributes to future crime.
Voluntary home-visiting programs send trained professionals to help at-risk families learn about the health, nutritional and developmental needs of infants and young children. Congress is considering an initiative to provide $8.6 billion in mandatory funding nationally over the next 10 years for evidence-based home visitation programs. Starting in fiscal year 2010 at $124 million, funding for the program will increase annually to $1.8 billion in fiscal year 2019.
While most children who grow up in abusive settings go on to lead normal lives, those who survive abuse and neglect are significantly more likely to commit crimes and act violently, even at an early age. One study found that survivors of abuse and neglect were also thirteen times more likely to abuse their own children.
"As a law enforcement leader, I have had the misfortune to see crimes committed against children. At least 10 Delaware children have died from abuse or neglect in the past decade," Szczerba said. "We have to get in front of this problem now, and immediately put more parent coaching programs in place to protect our most vulnerable kids and provide more support to struggling parents."
A study of the Nurse-Family Partnership, a voluntary home-visiting program that sends registered nurses to work with new parents and expectant mothers, found that it cut cases of abuse and neglect by half among at-risk families who participated. The visits also reduced later arrests of children and mothers by 60 percent.
"My colleagues and I are standing shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement leaders from across the country to call on the Delaware congressional delegation to include voluntary home visiting dollars in the federal budget, to provide parent coaching to at-risk families, which has been proven to reduce child abuse and neglect and cut future crime," Sullivan said.
Analysis by the RAND Corporation found that the Nurse-Family Partnership cut cases of crime, welfare and other costs so effectively that it saved the public $3 for every dollar invested.
To view a copy of the report, click here.
