As Chief of Police, I was encouraged to see so many events across Maine recently focused on child abuse and neglect prevention – the State Troopers’ Relay, the Governor’s proclamation and “Don’t Shake Jake” public service announcements. It is heartening to see community members come together to send the message that child abuse will not be tolerated.
At the same time, it is alarming to see the severity of recent cases in our courts. A man from Auburn pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend’s 10-month-old daughter. The Maine State Police charged two fathers with manslaughter in connection with two separate baby deaths – one a month-old baby girl from Skowhegan and the other a two-and-a-half-year-old boy from East Machias. We are also seeing an increase in child abuse that does not result in death. Reports tell us that the number of shaken baby cases at Maine Medical Center alone has tripled during the past two years.
The importance of preventing these acts of violence against children cannot be overstated. According to data submitted to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in 2006, 3,548 children were confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect in Maine. The Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect tells us that a truer number of abused and neglected children nationally is most likely three times higher than the documented cases. Given this grim conclusion, it is likely that more than 10,000 Maine children are subject to abuse and neglect by an adult who is supposed to be caring for them. From 2000 through 2006, 15 Maine children died from abuse or neglect. This problem is serious, and our law enforcement officers are working hard to protect the children of our communities.
Echoes of child abuse and neglect cases will haunt us for decades. While most kids who survive abuse grow up and move on from their past, research shows us that they face many hurdles. Abused children are more likely to grow up to be adults who are unemployed, have martial problems, and are nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to attempt suicide. Here in Maine, research indicates that, of the 3,548 children who had confirmed incidents of abuse or neglect in 2006, 140 will become violent criminals as adults as a direct result of the abuse and neglect they endured. Year after year in Maine, abuse and neglect creates more violent criminals.
There are programs to help parents and caregivers avoid abuse and neglect – in-home parent coaching. Having a trained professional guide young parents, as we do in a number of Maine programs – Maine Healthy Families, Parents As Teachers and Parents Are Teachers Too — can have an enormous effect in putting them on the right track to care for their children.
In-home parent coaching programs provides parents with the skills to understand the health and nutrition needs of newborns, identify early warning signs with their child, promote their child’s development, make their home safe for kids, and avoid discipline that can, with anger, turn into serious abuse. The voluntary programs offer first-time parents weekly visits from trained professional typically beginning during the mother’s pregnancy and may continue until the child is five years old. The program also serves to connect families to other valuable community-based services.
Research shows that voluntary in-home parent coaching can have a real impact on cutting child abuse and neglect. In one model, the Nurse-Family Partnership, children whose mothers did not participate were half as likely to be abused or neglected compared to children whose parents did receive coaching. Also, the children not in the program had twice as many arrests when they grew up than those who did participate.
Intensive home visiting not only saves lives, it saves money. Child abuse and neglect costs Americans more than $80 billion every year — $400 million in Maine alone. Yet, a study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that the Nurse Family Partnership program would save the people of Maine five dollars for each dollar invested.
Currently Maine spends approximately $4.5 million annually on in-home parent coaching programs all across 16 counties. That’s little more than1/100th of what child abuse and neglect cases costs us. Unfortunately, intensive home visiting programs reach only twenty percent of eligible families statewide.
Congress now has an opportunity to reach many more at-risk parents with this proven crime-fighting approach. The Education Begins at Home Act would provide $500 million in federal grants over three years to states to support in-home visiting/parent coaching programs. We are fortunate in Maine that all four members of our congressional delegation are supporting this legislation and hope that, with their active encouragement, Congress will move quickly to adopt it. Cutting child abuse and neglect is not just the right thing to do; it is a proven way to cut future crime.
Butch Asselin is Houlton’s Chief of Police and a member, Fight Crime: Invest In Kids.
At the same time, it is alarming to see the severity of recent cases in our courts. A man from Auburn pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend’s 10-month-old daughter. The Maine State Police charged two fathers with manslaughter in connection with two separate baby deaths – one a month-old baby girl from Skowhegan and the other a two-and-a-half-year-old boy from East Machias. We are also seeing an increase in child abuse that does not result in death. Reports tell us that the number of shaken baby cases at Maine Medical Center alone has tripled during the past two years.
The importance of preventing these acts of violence against children cannot be overstated. According to data submitted to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in 2006, 3,548 children were confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect in Maine. The Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect tells us that a truer number of abused and neglected children nationally is most likely three times higher than the documented cases. Given this grim conclusion, it is likely that more than 10,000 Maine children are subject to abuse and neglect by an adult who is supposed to be caring for them. From 2000 through 2006, 15 Maine children died from abuse or neglect. This problem is serious, and our law enforcement officers are working hard to protect the children of our communities.
Echoes of child abuse and neglect cases will haunt us for decades. While most kids who survive abuse grow up and move on from their past, research shows us that they face many hurdles. Abused children are more likely to grow up to be adults who are unemployed, have martial problems, and are nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to attempt suicide. Here in Maine, research indicates that, of the 3,548 children who had confirmed incidents of abuse or neglect in 2006, 140 will become violent criminals as adults as a direct result of the abuse and neglect they endured. Year after year in Maine, abuse and neglect creates more violent criminals.
There are programs to help parents and caregivers avoid abuse and neglect – in-home parent coaching. Having a trained professional guide young parents, as we do in a number of Maine programs – Maine Healthy Families, Parents As Teachers and Parents Are Teachers Too — can have an enormous effect in putting them on the right track to care for their children.
In-home parent coaching programs provides parents with the skills to understand the health and nutrition needs of newborns, identify early warning signs with their child, promote their child’s development, make their home safe for kids, and avoid discipline that can, with anger, turn into serious abuse. The voluntary programs offer first-time parents weekly visits from trained professional typically beginning during the mother’s pregnancy and may continue until the child is five years old. The program also serves to connect families to other valuable community-based services.
Research shows that voluntary in-home parent coaching can have a real impact on cutting child abuse and neglect. In one model, the Nurse-Family Partnership, children whose mothers did not participate were half as likely to be abused or neglected compared to children whose parents did receive coaching. Also, the children not in the program had twice as many arrests when they grew up than those who did participate.
Intensive home visiting not only saves lives, it saves money. Child abuse and neglect costs Americans more than $80 billion every year — $400 million in Maine alone. Yet, a study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that the Nurse Family Partnership program would save the people of Maine five dollars for each dollar invested.
Currently Maine spends approximately $4.5 million annually on in-home parent coaching programs all across 16 counties. That’s little more than1/100th of what child abuse and neglect cases costs us. Unfortunately, intensive home visiting programs reach only twenty percent of eligible families statewide.
Congress now has an opportunity to reach many more at-risk parents with this proven crime-fighting approach. The Education Begins at Home Act would provide $500 million in federal grants over three years to states to support in-home visiting/parent coaching programs. We are fortunate in Maine that all four members of our congressional delegation are supporting this legislation and hope that, with their active encouragement, Congress will move quickly to adopt it. Cutting child abuse and neglect is not just the right thing to do; it is a proven way to cut future crime.
Butch Asselin is Houlton’s Chief of Police and a member, Fight Crime: Invest In Kids.
