Document text
41 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, December 5, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 12, 2004 Child abuse, neglect soar in local areas By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune The number of victims of child abuse and neglect in Jackson County grew by nearly 25 percent during the last federal fiscal year, more than double the increase statewide. For families locally and across Oregon, risk factors associated with child abuse remained the same: drug or alcohol abuse, criminal behavior, unemployment and domestic violence, according to a new report from the state Department of Human Services. In Southern Oregon, the prevalence of methamphetamine is associated with increased abuse. Of the 1,000 drug arrests in the county each year, 80 percent involve the addictive stimulant. "I would definitely say the meth use in Jackson County is a huge contributor to child abuse and neglect," said Carin Niebuhr, director of the local Commission on Children and Families. "It’s so cheap, it has such a long-term high and it causes that speeded-up behavior where you lose restraint." Advertisement Increased awareness of child abuse may have boosted statistics by encouraging reporting, said Roxann Jones, coordinator of the Community Safety Net program. Released Monday, the DHS report showed there were 610 victims of child abuse and neglect in Jackson County between Oct. 1, 2002, and Sept. 30, 2003. That compared to 489 victims reported during calendar year 2002. Statewide, there were 9,447 confirmed victims of abuse and neglect in fiscal year 2003, a 12.1 percent increase from calendar year 2002. Part of the gain could be attributed to new reporting periods. To bring Oregon into alignment with federal and other states’ reporting guidelines, DHS is reporting figures gathered during the federal fiscal year, not the calendar year, DHS spokeswoman Patricia Feeny indicated. Nevertheless, Jackson County’s figures remain significantly higher than the state’s overall. Locally, figures show a rate of 13.3 victims of abuse or neglect per 1,000 children in Jackson County, up from a rate of 10.7 in 2002. Statewide, the 2003 rate is 10.8 per 1,000 children. In nearby Josephine County, 254 confirmed victims of child abuse or neglect were reported in federal fiscal year 2003, an increase of nearly 34 percent over the 190 victims reported in calendar year 2002. That’s a rate of 14.2 per 1,000 children in Josephine County. Overall, in Oregon, 42,455 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect were logged during fiscal year 2003, an increase of 5.5 percent from calendar year 2002. In 1994, DHS reviewed 26,436 reports of suspected abuse or neglect. The 2003 figures represent a jump of 60.6 percent in reports over a decade. During that period, Oregon’s child population increased by about 10 percent. All types of abuse except mental injury were up in 2003. Sexual abuse jumped by 20 percent; there was a 17.6 percent increase in the "threat of harm" category, a 12.2 percent increase in physical abuse, and a 6.6 percent jump in neglect. Mental injury was down 4 percent statewide, the report showed. Parents remain the primary sources of abuse or neglect, with mothers cited as alleged perpetrators in 44.4 percent of cases, followed by fathers in 28.2 percent of cases. Strangers account for less than 1 percent of abuse cases. Suspected alcohol or drug abuse, law enforcement involvement, unemployment and domestic violence were the four most common stresses in families with confirmed reports of abuse or neglect. Substance abuse was cited in more than 43 percent of those families, the report showed. The new report showed another significant development. In 2003, for the first time in three years, more children came into foster care than left foster care. Some 4,946 children entered foster care in 2003; 4,443 exited. In Jackson County, 240 children entered foster care in 2003. About 40 percent of those find homes within a year, said Lori McClure, a local branch office coordinator. To access the new DHS report, visit www.dhs.state.or.us/abuse/publications/children/index.htm#annualrpts . Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities