Child Safety

Child Safety

Too many children in California are at risk of becoming victims of violence: tens of thousands of children live in dangerous neighborhoods, and nearly half of all middle and high school students report other students bringing weapons to school. After declining for decades, the homicide rate for children, ages 15-19, recently rose by 20%, an indicator that extreme violence is an everyday part of many children's lives. Early detection of and intervention in threats to children's safety prevent later, more costly remediation and allow children to stay focused on positive pursuits, like education.
More than 100,000 children are abused in California each year, and about 75,000 are in foster care. Current budget allocations do not pay for enough caseworkers, and counties often contribute tens of millions of additional dollars to hire sufficient staff. Moreover, reimbursement rates for foster families do not come close to covering the actual cost of caring for a child. As a result, would-be foster families are too few, and foster children instead are placed in costly group homes that may be less supportive environments for vulnerable children.
Another 100,000 young people are involved in the juvenile justice system in California, and the majority of them have been exposed to violence and other trauma. Yet, mental health services for this population are limited. Children in the foster care and juvenile justice systems are at the highest risk for serious emotional, social, academic and physical problems, and need additional support to develop into contributing members of society.
Learn More about Child SafetyFacts & Figures Policy Recommendations
Fact & Figures
Safety at School
About 40% of middle and high school students report that other students bring weapons to school. About 20% of students think their friends won't mind if they bring a weapon to school.
Maltreatment
In 2006, 11 out of every 1,000 children in California were neglected or abused; the national rate is 12 per 1,000. African American children had the highest rates of substantiated abuse reports (22 per 1,000), followed by Native American (14 per 1,000), Latino (11 per 1,000), white (10 per 1,000) and Asian American (4 per 1,000) children.
Homicide
The homicide rate for adolescents, ages 15-19, increased by 21% between 2001 and 2004; boys and African Americans were most likely to be murdered.
Foster Care
In 2006, 8 out of every 1,000 children, ages 0-17, were in foster care in California, a 33% decrease from 1998. African American children, ages 0-17, were most likely to be in foster care (30 per 1,000).
Juvenile Justice
Spending on corrections has increased by 77% since 2000, while prevention funds for young offenders have decreased by 2%.
About 100,000 children are involved in California's juvenile justice system, and about 7,000 are in the equivalent of a maximum security prison. 70% of children released from those institutions are re-arrested within two years.
Policy Recommendations
Improve children's safety at school and in their neighborhood. Tens of thousands of California's children are exposed to violence in their neighborhood and on school grounds, limiting their chances of healthy emotional and academic development. To find comprehensive solutions for improving children's safety, a multi-systems approach that brings together agencies and resources that impact child safety is needed. Solutions and activities focused toward prevention are essential to improving children's safety at school and in their community.
Expand early intervention and prevention services for children and families. Strains on our child welfare system mean that, too often, children only receive help once they are at serious risk of harm or have already experienced violence or neglect. Improving our ability to detect and address the earliest signs of danger can improve children's overall well-being and decrease costs associated with expensive services, such as foster care. Enhanced coordination between schools, child care centers and the child welfare system will strengthen our ability to address challenges to children's safety before they escalate.