Rural Child Abuse

Abstract

One enduring myth is that crime infrequently occurs in rural society. It is a myth with wide and continuing popularity, expressed as frequently by criminology scholars as by the popular press and public opinion. Examining the issue of child abuse in rural communities of the United States provides one way to bust this myth. The most recent and comprehensive report that compares rates in rural and urban communities is the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3). The NIS-3 is based on detected and substantiated child maltreatment, which means that it is an approximation of the real prevalence of child abuse since much of it can go unreported. The NIS-3 was conducted in 1993, but the Fourth National [p. 615 ↓]Incidence Study is currently underway, providing both a much needed update and an opportunity to compare trends in relation to urban and rural places. The NIS-3 estimates a rate of child maltreatment based on the 'harm standard', which is described as a child who has experienced some form of obvious or demonstrable abuse, or serious harm from neglect. In turn, 'harm' is defined in various ways, depending upon the type of abuse or neglect. Altogether, there are three forms of abuse and a fourth category for types of neglect.