Family Violence

The recent tragic deaths of four sisters in the District of Columbia raise once again the question of why the United States, despite local outrage and national and state efforts, has not reduced child deaths from abuse and neglect. In 2005, some 1,460 children died from one or the other nationwide, virtually unchanged from 2001.

This paper presents trends over time in the number of children in particularly vulnerable families, including families facing risks such as domestic violence, child maltreatment, substance abuse, depression, and childhood disabilities. These families are of particular importance to policymakers given the considerable risk to children's safety and development, the challenges to parents' ability to support a family as well as raise children when they are facing these major stressors, and the potential requirement for strong public or community roles to meet children's needs when parents cannot.

In this commentary, senior research associate Laudan Aron explores the dark side of a booming business -- matching American men with foreign women -- and what should be done to protect "mail-order brides."

This report summarizes major findings from our work on family violence for the United Way of Central New Mexico (UWCNM). "Family violence" includes violence between intimate partners (spouses, cohabiting couples, dating couples) and between adult family members and children. We identified the current availability of and significant gaps in services and supports for victims of family violence in the UWCNM service area. We were also alert to the opportunities to develop a coordinated community response to family violence that helps current victims and works to reduce and ultimately eliminate violence among family members. Based on these findings, and drawing on our knowledge of programs and approaches that work in other communities, the report presents suggestions and opportunities on which UWCNM and its community partners could act to achieve their goals.

The Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention asked the Urban Institute to undertake a comprehensive review of the state's Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB), a part of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The goal of our work was to identify program accomplishments and areas for further development, and recommend specific steps that should be taken to improve program policies, operations, and services to clients. This work was conducted in coordination with the National Center for Victims of Crime's review of direct victim services across the state.