• Business & Economy
  • Politics & Government
    • Campaign Countdown
      • 2012 Reports
  • Sports
  • High School Sports
    • Football Friday Night
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • All Topics

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

  • Home
  • Audio Archives
  • Contact Us
  • Reporters
  • Affiliates
  • Affiliate Support
  • PostsComments
You are here: Home / Crime & Courts / Child abuse cases drop in Iowa in 2011

Child abuse cases drop in Iowa in 2011

March 20, 2012 By Pat Curtis

The number of Iowa children who were abused or neglected declined last year, reversing two years of increases.

The Iowa Department of Human Services released its annual report on child abuse today and spokesman Roger Munns says abuse cases were down nearly 7% from 2010. “We can’t make too much of this,” Munns says. “Obviously the numbers are going in the right direction, but there are a lot of factors involved and the numbers have waffled back and forth for the last decade or so.”

The primary reason for the decline in child abuse cases, according to Munns, is the state’s improved economy. “It’s pretty well known when families are under financial stress, there’s more stress in every area of their lives including their kids,” Munns says. “So when economic conditions improve, some of that stress is removed.”

The number of children in Iowa who were subjected to either a “founded” abuse or a less serious “confirmed” abuse last year was 11,747. Around 79% of all abuses were cases of neglect. “Neglect can mean a lot of things. Many times it’s the caretaker or parents who’s capacities are compromised by drug or alcohol abuse,” Munns says. “But, there are other examples too. There are cases where mom or dad goes to the casino and leaves the kid in the car…somebody finds them and no harm is done, but the kid was placed in harm’s way.”

Ten-percent of abuses were physical, while 4% were sexual — similar to past years. Slightly more than half of all abused children, 51%, were age five or under.

Munns says Iowa’s numbers continue to be consistent with national trends. “We send out social workers to do assessments on abuse and two-thirds of the time there is a finding of ‘no finding.’ This is comparable to what we see nationally as well,” Munns says.

Polk County, Iowa’s most heavily populated county, recorded the most child abuse cases in 2011 with 4,147. That was followed by Scott County (2,194), Linn County (2,016), Black Hawk County (1,613) and Woodbury County (1,244). Ringgold and Worth Counties recorded the fewest child abuses last year – each with 38.


Print pagePDF pageEmail page

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Facebook

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News

Featured Stories

Appeals Court throws out murder verdict saying jury influenced by social media

Packing 40 years of memories, Iowan heads to Barbara Bush’s funeral

Governor approves new Iowa law on ‘food shaming’ and unpaid school lunch debt

Iowa Senate honors Wally Horn for 46-year legislative career

Clive massage therapist facing sexual assault charges

TwitterFacebook

Former Iowa State coach Earle Bruce dies at 87

Golfers tout economic impact on Iowa

Iowa NASCAR driver pays tribute to hockey team

Morris headlines women’s pole vault at Drake

Brady Ellingson joins Drake

More Sports

Tweets by @RadioIowa

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

RSS O.KayHenderson.com

  • Campaign surrogates: asset or liability? September 22, 2016
  • Proposed slate of 2016 RNC delegates from #IAGOP May 20, 2016
  • AUDIO: #IAGOP chairman talks about idea of ‘brokered’ convention March 18, 2016
  • @TerryBranstad statement on Obama nominating his cousin to SupCo March 16, 2016
  • ‘Substantial growth’ in voter registrations for both parties from #IACaucus March 15, 2016

Archives

Copyright © 2018 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC