IPSPR: Electronic Publications

Definition: This indicator represents the percentage of children 17 and under living in families with incomes that fall below the federal poverty level.[i]

Significance: Children living in poverty confront significant obstacles in education, health, and other areas of growth and development. These obstacles are sometimes, but not always, met with a public response for assistance.

Data reflects South Carolina (SC), United States (US), and the southeast (SE). The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Selected State Rankings, 2007 (“1” represents state with highest percentage of children under 18 living in households with incomes below the federal poverty threshold. Rankings reflect a standard competition ranking method that accounts for ties that result when two or more states share the same percentage of children living in poverty.)

Definition: The indicator represents the annual rate of substantiated child abuse and/or neglect cases per 1,000 children. According to the U.S. department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families, a substantiated report is one in which “the allegation of maltreatment or risk of maltreatment was supported or founded by State law or State policy. This is the highest level of finding by a state agency.[ii]

Significance: The level of protection provided for children from abuse and neglect says much about society. Children who are abused and/or neglected experience serious physical and emotional challenges that have to be overcome if they are to grow into healthy adults whose behaviors will not replicate what they have personally experienced as children.

HISTORICAL/TREND ANALYSIS, Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and/or Neglect

Data reflects the rate for South Carolina (SC), the United States (US), and the southeast (SE). The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Selected State Rankings, 2006 (“1” represents state with highest rate of children victimized by substantiated cases of child abuse and/or neglect. States ranked from 1-49 with data for one state unavailable. Rankings reflect a standard competition ranking method that accounts for ties that result when two or more states share the same rate of substantiated cases of child abuse and/or neglect. )

Definition: The indicator represents a rate of fatalities among children who are the victims of child abuse and/or neglect.

Significance: Research indicates that very young children ages 3 and younger, are among the most frequent victims of child fatalities. The population of very young children is among the most vulnerable for many reasons, including their dependency, small size, and inability to defend themselves.

Selected State Rankings, 2006 (“1” represents state with highest rate of child fatalities resulting from child abuse and/or neglect. States ranked from 1-46 with data for four states unavailable. Rankings reflect a standard competition ranking method that accounts for ties that result when two or more states share the same rate of fatalities from child abuse and/or neglect. )

Data from this source are unavailable for Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and North Carolina.

[i] In determining the poverty status of families and unrelated individuals, the U.S. Census Bureau uses thresholds (income cutoffs) arranged in a two-dimensional matrix. The matrix consists of family size (from one person to nine or more people) cross-classified by presence and number of family members under 18 years old (from no children present to eight or more children present). Unrelated individuals and two-person families are further differentiated by age of reference person (RP) (under 65 years old and 65 years old and over). To determine a person's poverty status, one compares the person's total family income in the last twelve months with the poverty threshold appropriate for that person's family size and composition (see example below). If the total income of that person's family is less than the threshold appropriate for that family, then the person is considered poor or ‘below the poverty level’ together with every member of his or her family. If a person is not living with anyone related by birth, marriage, or adoption, then the person's own income is compared with his or her poverty threshold. The total number of people below the poverty level was the sum of people in families and the number of unrelated individuals with incomes in the last twelve months below the poverty level.

Since ACS respondents are interviewed throughout the year and asked about their income in the last twelve months, the appropriate threshold for a given family or individual person is determined by the threshold from the base year (1982) multiplied by the average of all the twelve monthly poverty factors (converted CPI-U) preceding the interview month. For example, consider a family of three with one child under 18 years of age, which was interviewed in the month of July 2002 and reported a total income of $12,000 for the last 12 months - from July 2001 to June 2002. In order to determine the poverty status of this family we need; 1) the threshold for the 1982 base year for family size three with one child under 18 years of age which is $7,765; 2) the average poverty factor for the twelve months starting from July 2001 to June 2002 which is 1.84622 (see the 2002 poverty factors below); 3) the product of the above ($7,765 X 1.84622) which is $14,336 is the appropriate threshold for family of three with one child under 18 years of age. Thus, comparing the threshold $14,336 against the family’s annual income $12,000, reveals that this family (all members of the family) is considered to have an annual income which is below the poverty level in 2002.

[ii] The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (NCCANCH) was established in 1974 by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to collect, organize, and disseminate information on all aspects of child maltreatment. Federal legislation provides a foundation for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

Within the minimum standards set by CAPTA, each state is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect. Most States recognize four major types of maltreatment: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Although any of the forms of child maltreatment may be found separately, they often occur in combination. See http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/.