Third National Incidence Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3)

The National Incidence Study (NIS) is a congressionally mandated, periodic effort of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN). The third NIS (NIS-3) was conducted between 1993 and 1995, and published in 1996. NIS-3 had several objectives: To provide current estimates of the incidence of child abuse and neglect in the US and measure changes in these estimates from earlier studies. To examine the distribution of child maltreatment in relation to various demographic factors. To estimate the incidence of substantiated maltreatment cases that result in civil and criminal proceedings and their disposition. To develop an understanding of the relationship between an incident of maltreatment, its observation, its report to a child protective service agency, and any actions taken by the agency. Data were collected during a 3-month period in the fall of 1993 from child protective service agencies and other community agencies, including schools and health agencies, in 42 counties selected to be nationally representative. Stringent safeguards were followed to ensure the confidentiality of all children, family members, and others involved in suspected maltreatment and of all individuals who provided data to the study.