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Wisconsin
Child Abuse and Neglect
Report
2007 Data
Bureau of Program Integrity
Division of Safety and Permanence
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Wisconsin
Child Abuse and Neglect
Report
Annual Report for Calendar Year 2007
to the Governor and Legislature
s. 48.981(9), Stats.
This report is available on the Internet at
http://www.dcf.wisconsin.gov/cwreview/reports/CAN.htm
Report revised (page 20) on March 25, 2010
Please contact Michelle Rawlings at (608) 264-9846
with any questions regarding this report.
Table of Contents
Letter from the Administrator……………………………………………….. 6
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………... 7
Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 8
Structure of Child Protective Services in Wisconsin………….. 8
Child Abuse and Neglect Definitions…………………………… 8
Overview of the Child Protective Services Process…………... 10
Key Terms…………………………………………………………. 11
Child Protective Services Process………………………………………… 14
Child Protective Services Access …….………………………. 14
Child Protective Services Initial Assessment………………… 17
Reporters………………………………………………………………………. 26
Reporter’s Relationship to Alleged Child Victim………………. 26
Reporter Allegations and Subsequent Findings………………. 28
Victims………………………………………………………………………….. 30
Characteristics of Maltreated Children…………………………. 30
Fatalities…………………………………………………………… 33
Shaken Baby Syndrome and Impacted Babies……………….. 36
Maltreaters……………………………………………………………………… 38
Characteristics of Maltreaters…………………………………… 38
Relationship to Victim……………………………………………. 40
Federal Performance Standards…………………………………………… 43
Recurrence of Maltreatment…………………………………….. 43
Maltreatment While in Out-of-Home Care……………………… 43
Services to Families…………………………………………………………. 45
Safety Decision & Services……………………………............... 45
CPS Removals to an Out-of-home Placement………………... 47
Initial Assessment Disposition………………….…..…………… 48
APPENDIX A
Child Maltreatment Related Statutes………….…………………………….. 51
APPENDIX B
Unborn Child Abuse………………………..………………………………….. 52
APPENDIX C
An Overview of the CPS Process..………..………………………………….. 53
APPENDIX D
Data Collection and Interpretation..……………………………………………. 54
APPENDIX E
Total CPS Reports and Screening Decisions by County, 2007…………..….. 56
APPENDIX F
Children in CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children by County, 2007………..……. 58
APPENDIX G
County Substantiation Rates, 2007…………………………………………….. 60
APPENDIX H
Child Victimization Rate by County, 2007……………………………………… 62
APPENDIX I
Total Maltreatment Allegations by Maltreatment Type and Maltreatment
Finding by County, 2007………………………………………………………… 64
APPENDIX J
County Maltreatment Allegation Substantiation Rate By Maltreatment Type,
2007……………………………………………………………………………..…. 66
APPENDIX K
Percentage of CPS Initial Assessments by Type by County, 2007…………... 68
APPENDIX L
Safety Assessment Results in Primary Caregiver CPS Initial Assessments
by County, 2007…………………………………………………………………… 70
APPENDIX M
Where to Report……………………………………………………………..…….. 72
Tables and Graphs
Table 1 Statewide Referrals and Screening Decisions, 2007 15
Table 2 CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children, 2007 15
Figure 1 Total Number of CPS Reports Statewide, 1997-2007 16
Figure 2 CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children, 2003-2007 16
Table 3 CPS Initial Assessment Workload, 2007 18
Table 4 Statewide Substantiation Rate, 2007 18
Table 5 Statewide Child Victimization Rate, 2007 19
Figure 3 Statewide Substantiation Rates, 1997-2007 20
Figure 4 Statewide Victimization Rates Per 1,000 Children, 2003-2007 20
Table 6 Total Maltreatment Allegations by Type and Finding, 2007 21
Figure 5 Maltreatment Findings by Maltreatment Type, 2007 21
Table 7 Statewide Maltreatment Allegation Substantiation Rate By
Maltreatment Type, 2007 22
Figure 6 Neglect Allegation Findings, 2003-2007 23
Figure 7 Physical Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007 23
Figure 8 Sexual Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007 24
Figure 9 Emotional Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007 24
Figure 10 Abuse Likely to Occur Allegation Findings, 2003-2007 25
Table 8 Referrals (Screened-in and Screened-out) by Reporter’s
Relationship to Alleged Child Victim, 2007 26
Table 9 Total Maltreatment Allegations (Screened-in Referrals Only)
by Reporter’s Relationship to Alleged Child Victim, 2007 27
Figure 11 Total Maltreatment Allegations by Maltreatment Type
(Screened-in Referrals Only), Mandated versus
Non-Mandated Reporters, 2007 28
Figure 12 Percentage of Reporter’s Total Maltreatment Allegations
Found Substantiated or Likely to Occur After CPS
Initial Assessment, Mandated versus Non-Mandated
Reporters, 2007 29
Figure 13 Gender of Victims, 2007 30
Table 10 Child Victimization Rate by Gender, 2007 30
Figure 14 Victims by Age Group, 2007 31
Figure 15 Victimization Rate by Age and Gender, 2007 31
Figure 16 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Maltreatment Allegations
for Female Victims, 2007 32
Figure 17 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Maltreatment Allegations
for Male Victims, 2007 32
Figure 18 Race of Victims Where Known, 2007 33
Figure 19 Race of 2007 WI Child Population 33
Table 11 Profile of Substantiated Child Fatalities, 2007 34
Figure 20 Count of Child Fatalities Substantiated as Maltreatment,
1997-2007 35
Figure 21 Gender of Maltreaters, 2007 38
Figure 22 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Allegations by Abuse
Type and Maltreater’s Gender, 2007 39
Figure 23 Maltreaters by Age Group, 2007 39
Figure 24 Race of Maltreaters Where Known, 2007 40
Figure 25 Race of WI Population Ages 18-44, 2007 40
Table 12 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Allegations by Maltreater
Relationship to Child Victim, 2007 41
Figure 26 Percentage of Maltreatment Types by Maltreater Category 42
Table 13 Federal Performance Measures, 2003-2007 44
Figure 27 Safety Assessment Results in Primary Caregiver CPS Initial
Assessments, 2007 45
Figure 28 Frequencies of Safety Threats by Category 46
Table 14 Median and Mean Age of Male and Female Children
Removed to an Out-of-home Placement, 2007 47
Figure 29 Race of Children Removed to Out-of-home Care, 2007 48
Figure 30 Initial Assessment Dispositions in Primary Caregiver
CPS Initial Assessments, 2007 48
Figure 31 Initial Assessment Dispositions in Secondary CPS Initial
Assessments and Non-Caregiver Investigations, 2007 49
Table 15 Safety Decision by Initial Assessment Disposition
for Primary Caregiver CPS Initial Assessments, 2007 49
6
Letter from the Administrator
Wisconsin’s child welfare system operates under the core belief that all children
deserve to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. Our first priority is to ensure
that children can live safely in their own homes. In situations where children are
unsafe in their own homes, a Child Protective Services (CPS) case is opened to
provide services that control the conditions that make the children unsafe in the
family home. When that is not possible, children are placed in a relative or foster
home until the conditions in the family home can be controlled so that children are
safe and protected.
In September of 2007, new comprehensive standards outlining the requirements for
receipt and response to child abuse and neglect referrals and completion of initial
assessments of child maltreatment allegations were released. The new Child
Protective Services Access and Initial Assessment Standards contain several
important policy changes related to maltreatment allegations, review of criminal
background history of suspected maltreaters and other adult household members,
and interview requirements for non-custodial parents of alleged child victims. In
addition, the CPS Access and Initial Assessment Standards require that the
maltreater appeal process be documented into new functionality in Wisconsin’s
automated child welfare data system resulting in more timely and accurate
information related to substantiated or overturned substantiated maltreatment
findings.
Finally, one of the most significant changes affects how reports of alleged child
maltreatment resulting in a child’s death are handled. Under the previous access
and initial assessment standards, CPS agencies were not required to screen in
reports and assess maltreatment allegations when a child died from suspected
maltreatment and there were no other children in the household. The new standards
require CPS agencies to screen in reports and conduct initial assessments of these
cases so that family case and maltreater records contain this critical information in
case of future concerns to child safety. This broadened requirement for assessing
child maltreatment death has led to a higher total number of reported child
maltreatment fatalities in 2007 (see pages 32-35 for discussion).
Thank you for your interest in learning more about Wisconsin’s child welfare system.
It is our hope that the information in this report will inform efforts to prevent abuse
and neglect and better protect children who have been maltreated or are in unsafe
homes. We appreciate your continued support for our efforts as we strive to ensure
that families are stronger as a result of being involved in our child welfare system.
Cyrus A. Behroozi
Administrator
7
Executive Summary
In calendar year 2007, county Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies and the
Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare received a total of 55,895 reports from reporters
alleging maltreatment of children. Educational personnel, law enforcement, and
social service workers accounted for the largest sources of CPS reports. Forty-nine
percent of these CPS reports were screened-in by CPS agencies for further
assessment resulting in 25,632 CPS initial assessments of families. CPS agencies
assessed 40,616 maltreatment reports involving 33,870 children and 49,046
allegations of maltreatment. Some children were involved in more than one report
and/or were affected by multiple allegations of maltreatment.
Allegations and Findings
Neglect was the most common type of maltreatment allegation during calendar year
2007, followed by physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Of the total allegations, 6,529
or approximately 16% were substantiated as maltreatment. The maltreatment
allegation types accounting for the most substantiated findings during calendar year
2007 were neglect and sexual abuse. In addition, CPS agencies determined that
1,649 maltreatment allegations were likely to occur.
Child Victims
There were 6,721 child victims of maltreatment in 2007. A child is a victim if they
had at least one substantiated or abuse likely to occur maltreatment finding at the
conclusion of a CPS initial assessment. This represents 5.0 children per 1,000
children in Wisconsin. Females were more likely to be victims than males due to
higher rates of sexual abuse. In calendar year 2007, CPS agencies reported 33
children died from substantiated maltreatment.
Maltreaters
Roughly equal number of males and females were maltreaters in 2007. However,
males accounted for the majority of maltreaters in sexual abuse cases, while
females accounted for the majority of maltreaters in neglect cases. Primary
caregivers accounted for 86% of the substantiated maltreatment. The Access and
Initial Assessment Standards released in September 2007 allow maltreatment
allegations to be substantiated for a child without identifying a specific maltreater.
CPS Services
Of the families involved in CPS initial assessments during calendar year 2007, 22%
of families received services from the CPS agency and 18% were referred by the
CPS agency to a community resource. During 2007, 3,123 children were removed
from their family home and placed in an out-of home placement during the CPS
initial assessment in order to ensure child safety.
Data Source
Data for this report is from the electronic Wisconsin Statewide Automated Child
Welfare Information System (eWiSACWIS). CPS agencies use eWiSACWIS to
manage their cases, and due to local flexibility in program operation, there can be
significant data variation between counties. The body of the report provides
statewide composite data and county-specific detail is in the appendices.
8
Introduction
Child Protective Services (CPS) is a specialized field of the Child Welfare System.
CPS intervention is warranted whenever there is a report that a child may be unsafe,
abused or neglected, or at risk of maltreatment. The purpose of the CPS system is
to identify and alter family conditions that make children unsafe or place them at risk
for maltreatment. Services provided by CPS agencies include receiving reports of
alleged child maltreatment, assessing these reports as needed, implementing plans
to keep children safe, and coordinating services for children and families where
maltreatment has occurred or where circumstances make it seem likely that
maltreatment will occur.
In sum, Wisconsin’s CPS programs strive to: (1) protect the health, safety, and
welfare of children by encouraging the reporting of suspected child maltreatment; (2)
assure that appropriate protective services are provided to unsafe children and their
families to protect children from further harm; (3) provide support, counseling, and
other services to children and their families to ameliorate the effects of child
maltreatment; and (4) promote the well being of the child in his or her home setting,
wherever possible, or in another safe and stable placement.
This Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Report reflects data collected during
calendar year 2007 regarding reports of child maltreatment in Wisconsin. This report
has been compiled by the Department of Children and Families to assist state
policymakers, service providers and the public in understanding and effectively
responding to trends in child maltreatment.
Structure of Child Protective Services in Wisconsin
CPS agencies are responsible for identifying and addressing conditions affecting
child safety in the home for families who come to the attention of these agencies. In
Wisconsin, this critical social responsibility is met through a state-supervised,
county-administered system, with the exception of Milwaukee County where the
state administers the CPS program. Alleged child maltreatment is reported to 71
county social or human services departments in the state and to the Bureau of
Milwaukee Child Welfare (BMCW) in Milwaukee County or to local law enforcement
agencies. Alleged child maltreatment involving some tribal children is also reported
to county CPS agencies and the BMCW or to local law enforcement; CPS agencies
and the BMCW are required to notify the tribe of the referral within 24 hours of its
receipt. [Ref. s. 48.981(3)(bm), Stats.] Please refer to Appendix L for a complete
list of contact information for these county departments.
Child Abuse and Neglect Definitions
State laws define child abuse and neglect. These definitions provide the basis for
persons to report suspected child maltreatment and guide county agencies in their
response. Throughout this report, the terms “child maltreatment” and “child abuse
and/or neglect” have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably. Refer to
Appendix A for a list of Wisconsin’s child maltreatment related statutes. State laws
and policies concerning child maltreatment pertain to children 17 years of age or
less, unless otherwise specified. Child maltreatment is generally divided into four
basic types: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse.
9
Physical neglect is defined in the statutes as “failure, refusal or inability on the part
of a parent, guardian, legal custodian or other person exercising temporary or
permanent control over a child, for reasons other than poverty, to provide necessary
care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to seriously endanger the
physical health of the child.” [Ref. s. 48.981(1)(d), Stats.]
Physical abuse is defined as “physical injury inflicted on a child by other than
accidental means.” [Ref. s. 48.02(1)(a), Stats.] This includes non-accidental injury
inflicted by any other person. “Physical injury includes but is not limited to
lacerations, fractured bones, burns, internal injuries, severe or frequent bruising or
great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22(14).” [Ref. s. 48.02(14g), Stats.]
Sexual abuse is defined by cross-referencing several crimes in the Wisconsin
Criminal Code section of the statutes (see Appendix A). In summary, sexual abuse
includes the following:
• sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a child 15 years of age or less;
• sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a 16- or 17-year old child without his or
her consent;
• inducement of a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to videotape,
photograph, etc., that child or videotaping, photographing, etc., a child for such
purposes, or producing, distributing, selling or otherwise profiting from such a
videotape, photograph, etc.;
• encouragement by or permission of a person responsible for a child's welfare for
a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of videotaping,
photographing, etc.;
• causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity;
• exposing genitals to a child; or
• permitting or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution.
Allegations associated with any other form of sexual abuse not specified above are
identified as “other sexual abuse.”
Emotional abuse is defined as “emotional damage for which the child’s parent,
guardian or legal custodian has neglected, refused or been unable for reasons other
than poverty to obtain the necessary treatment or to take steps to ameliorate the
symptoms.” [Ref. s. 48.02(1)(gm), Stats.]
In addition to cases where abuse and/or neglect has already occurred, threats of
child abuse and neglect must also be reported to and investigated by the county
agencies and the BMCW. “…the county department…shall determine, within 60
days after receipt of a report, whether abuse or neglect has occurred or is likely to
occur.” [Ref. s. 48.981(3)(c)4, Stats.] Thus, case findings of abuse or neglect likely
to occur, refer to situations where abuse and/or neglect has not yet occurred, but
the conditions identified by the agency during the CPS initial assessment support a
belief that abuse and/or neglect is likely to occur in the future.
10
The definitions of child neglect and emotional abuse involve failure on the part of
parents or other persons responsible for a child to provide necessary care for a child.
The definitions of physical abuse and sexual abuse include harm to a child by any
person. Therefore, physical or sexual abuse of a child can include assaults by a
parent, strangers, persons unrelated to a child’s family, or peers. In cases where
someone outside of the family harms the child, CPS interventions with the family do
not provide all of the solutions. In many of these cases, in addition to the CPS
assessment, law enforcement is involved and criminal prosecution of the person who
harmed the child may occur. However, in most child abuse and neglect cases, the
parties involved are family members and solutions involve CPS interventions with
the family. In some of these cases, court intervention is required to assure safety for
the child and to order services for the family.
Wisconsin statutes define unborn child abuse as another form of child maltreatment.
Due to the unique nature of this maltreatment type, unborn child abuse data is
excluded from the body of this report and presented separately in Appendix B.
Overview of the Child Protective Services Process
CPS agencies follow numerous state and federal policies and practice standards as
they strive to keep children safe from harm. The CPS process can be divided into
three parts: CPS access, CPS initial assessment, and CPS ongoing services. The
section of this report entitled, the Child Protective Services Process provides further
detail about the first two parts of the CPS process. The section of this report entitled
Services to Families addresses the third. Appendix C shows an overview of the
CPS process in Wisconsin, with a flowchart illustrating the different paths a child
maltreatment report may take.
During CPS access, the CPS agency receives information about suspected child
abuse and/or neglect from community sources, i.e. reporters. Based on the
information from the reporter, the CPS agency must determine if the information
constitutes an allegation of child maltreatment or threatened harm as defined by
Wisconsin statutes. If an allegation rises to the level indicated by statutory
definitions of maltreatment, the referral is screened-in for further assessment, and if
it does not, the report may be screened-out. At this stage, screened-out CPS
reports are no longer part of the CPS process. However, the CPS agency may still
refer the family to community services or offer to provide voluntary agency services
to address family concerns not related to child safety.
All screened-in CPS reports move on to the next stage of the CPS process, CPS
initial assessment. Based on all the information gathered as part of the CPS access
process including the severity of the maltreatment alleged by the reporter and level
of danger to the child, the CPS agency designates a response time, ranging from an
immediate response to within 5 days, by which an initial face-to-face contact with the
child/family must occur.
The primary purpose of the CPS initial assessment is to assure the child’s safety and
determine whether the child and family are in need of services to keep the child safe.
The CPS initial assessment generally involves interviews with the child, family, and
11
other individuals closely involved with the report. Based on information gathered
through the CPS initial assessment, the agency determines whether one or more
types of abuse has occurred or is likely to occur in the future. The CPS agency must
make a finding for all allegations unless critical information sources are unavailable
for interview.
In addition, the information gathered during the CPS initial assessment is used to
make a decision about child safety. If a child is unsafe, the CPS agency must
develop a plan to address child safety and open the case for ongoing CPS services.
Depending on the situation, the family involved may voluntarily participate in CPS
services or be court-ordered to participate. If the safety decision is that the child or
children present in the home are safe, the case may be closed. The CPS agency
may still offer/refer the family to other community services or voluntary services
within the agency to address other concerns not related to child safety.
Key Terms
This section provides a brief review of key CPS terms. Further contextual
understanding of these terms can be gained by reading the narrative in each section
of this report.
Alleged Maltreater: A person, in a screened-in referral, who is asserted to have
committed one or more maltreatment acts against one or more children. The same
person may be counted twice as an alleged maltreater if they are in different
screened-in referrals during the calendar year.
Alleged Victim: A child with one or more maltreatment allegations in a screened-in
referral that have not yet been assessed. The same child may be counted twice as
an alleged victim if they are in different screened-in referrals during the calendar
year.
CPS Agency: The county social or human service department or the Bureau of
Milwaukee Child Welfare responsible for addressing concerns related to child safety
in the home for families who come to the attention of these agencies.
CPS Report: Each child identified in a screened-in referral as an alleged victim of
maltreatment or threatened maltreatment is considered one CPS report. One CPS
report can have multiple allegations involving the same child.
Imminent Danger: The belief that dangerous family behaviors, conditions, or
situations will remain active or become active without delay, thereby threatening a
child’s safety.
Initial Assessment: A comprehensive assessment conducted in response to
reports of alleged child maltreatment. A CPS initial assessment is completed in
order to: assess and analyze present and impending danger threats to child safety;
take action, when necessary to control threats to child safety; determine the need for
CPS ongoing services (court-ordered or voluntary); determine whether maltreatment
occurred; and assist families in identifying useful community resources. The term
12
CPS initial assessment includes the CPS investigation process as defined in s.
48.981(3)(c), Stats.
Initial Assessment Disposition: The action taken by the CPS agency on the
family’s case (e.g. case opened for CPS services, case closed) as a result of a
decision regarding child safety and initial assessment finding.
Initial Assessment Finding: The overall maltreatment finding for the family, upon
completion of the CPS initial assessment, of whether abuse was substantiated,
unsubstantiated, likely to occur, unlikely to occur, or unable to locate sources of
information and/or subjects of the report - unsubstantiated.
Maltreater: A person, who after the CPS initial assessment of a screened-in
referral, has had at least one allegation of child maltreatment found to be
substantiated or likely to occur by the CPS agency. The same maltreater may be
counted twice if they had at least one substantiated or likely to occur allegation in
different CPS initial assessments during the calendar year.
Maltreatment Allegation: An assertion of one type of child abuse or neglect
involving one or more alleged maltreater(s) for a single alleged victim. For the
purposes of this report, maltreatment allegations are one of five types: neglect,
physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or abuse likely to occur.
Maltreatment Finding: The CPS agency’s determination of whether a maltreatment
allegation has already occurred or not (substantiated or unsubstantiated). If there is
concern of threatened harm, the CPS agency determines whether a maltreatment
allegation is likely or not likely to occur in the future (likely to occur or not likely to
occur). If critical sources are unavailable for interview and it is impossible to make a
finding, the maltreatment finding is “not able to locate sources of information and/or
subjects of the report – unsubstantiated.”
Reporter: Person who contacts a CPS agency with information regarding alleged
maltreatment of a child or children.
Safety Assessment and Analysis: Information gathered by the agency during the
CPS initial assessment and throughout the life of the case pertaining to whether the
conditions present in the home make the child/children living in the home safe or
unsafe. The results of the safety assessment and a safety analysis of the family
environment are used to inform the safety decision.
Safety Decision: The CPS agency’s determination of whether a child is safe or
unsafe based on the safety assessment and analysis. If the home is unsafe, the
CPS agency implements a safety plan to assure the child is safe and protected. If
the home is safe, the CPS agency may refer the family for voluntary CPS services or
other community services, as needed.
13
Screened-in Referral: One or more allegations of child maltreatment in the referral
(which may include one or more children in a family) is deemed as rising to the level
of maltreatment or threat of maltreatment as defined by Wisconsin statutes and
therefore must be assessed.
Screened-out Referral: All allegations in the referral are deemed as not rising to
the level of maltreatment or threat of maltreatment as defined by Wisconsin statutes.
No further assessment of the allegation is required. The family may be referred for
voluntary CPS services or other appropriate community services.
Substantiation: The information gathered during the CPS initial assessment
provides a preponderance of evidence (that is, the proof shows that the fact sought
to be proved is more probable than not) that the maltreatment allegation made in the
CPS report or identified during a CPS initial assessment has occurred. In general, a
known maltreater is substantiated for the maltreatment, however, an allegation can
also be substantiated when the maltreater is unknown or not identified.
Victim: A child who had at least one of their maltreatment allegations found to be
substantiated or likely to occur as a result of a CPS initial assessment. The same
child may be counted twice as a victim if they had at least one substantiated or likely
to occur maltreatment allegation in more than one CPS initial assessment during the
calendar year.
14
Child Protective Services Process
This section explains the process counties undertake when they receive an
allegation of child abuse and/or neglect. Please refer to Appendix C for a diagram
of this process.
Child Protective Services Access
The Child Protective Services (CPS) process begins when the CPS agency receives
information regarding suspected child abuse and/or neglect from a reporter. This
initial step is known as CPS Access. For the purposes of this report, the information
received by the CPS agency pertaining to alleged child abuse and/or neglect is
called a referral. The information a CPS agency gathers from a reporter may contain
information about more than one child, more than one maltreater, and one or more
maltreatment allegations for each child/maltreater.
Upon receiving a referral, the CPS agency must first determine if the information
constitutes an allegation of child maltreatment or threatened harm as defined by
Wisconsin statutes. Not all referrals received by agencies are appropriate for a CPS
initial assessment. Although the reporters may have concerns for a child or family,
the issues presented may not rise to the level indicated by statutory definitions of
maltreatment. These referrals are generally not accepted by agencies and
therefore, are not subject to a CPS initial assessment. These referrals are referred
to as ‘screened-out’. Referrals may also be screened-out if there is insufficient
information reported to determine if the information constitutes maltreatment or if
multiple reporters call about the same child and maltreatment. Families with
screened-out referrals may still be offered voluntary services from the agency or
referred to other appropriate community services.
If the referral is accepted, or ‘screened-in’, as an appropriate concern related to child
maltreatment or the risk of child maltreatment, the agency must complete a CPS
initial assessment. Depending on the severity of the abuse and level of imminent
danger to the child, the CPS agency designates a time, ranging from an immediate
response to within 5 days, by which initial face-to-face contact with the child/family
must occur. The CPS initial assessment must be completed within 60 days. In
response to reports of alleged maltreatment by individuals outside the family, the
CPS role is to support the parents and other appropriate adults in meeting the child’s
needs. Respect for the privacy, values and rights of each family member underlie all
aspects of assessment procedures.
As shown in Table 1, during calendar year 2007, CPS agencies received a total of
55,895 referrals; 28,662 of these were screened-out and 27,233 were screened-in.
All screened-in referrals were subsequently assessed by the CPS agency, and are
the subject of the next section of this report, CPS initial assessment. Appendix E
shows a breakdown of referrals and screening decisions by county for calendar year
2007. Appendix E also shows screening decisions made on non-CPS reports
(service referrals) by county.
15
Table 1 Statewide Referrals and Screening Decisions, 2007
Number Screened- Percent Screened-in Percent
of out Screened- Referrals Screened-in
Referrals Referrals out
State Total 55,895 28,662 51% 27,233 49%
A CPS report is created for each child who is identified in a screened-in referral as
an alleged victim of child maltreatment or threatened maltreatment. Notice that the
number of CPS reports (40,616) is greater than the number of screened-in referrals
(27,233) because one referral may include information about multiple children,
however, each child in the referral is counted as a unique CPS report. For example,
a referral from a community reporter may allege maltreatment against three children
in a family. For purposes of this report, the CPS agency received 1 referral (the
phone contact by the reporter) but 3 CPS reports (three children each with one or
more maltreatment allegations). Table 2 shows the number of CPS reports per
1,000 children in Wisconsin during calendar year 2007. Out of a population of 1,000
Wisconsin children, about 30 children were involved in a report of alleged
maltreatment in 2007. Appendix F lists the total number of CPS reports and CPS
reports per 1,000 children by county during 2007.
Table 2 CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children, 2007
Child Screened-in Number of CPS Reports
Population Referrals CPS Reports per 1,000
(Ages 0-17)* Children
State Total 1,353,148 27,233 40,616 30.0
*Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimate for 1/1/2007.
Figure 1 displays the total number of CPS reports received by CPS agencies from
1997 through 2007. The number of CPS reports declined through calendar year
2000, and since then has fluctuated between 40,000 and 43,000 reports.
16
Figure 1 Total Number of CPS Reports Statewide, 1997-2007
50,000
45,796
40,000
42,520 42,698 42,451 41,294
Total Reports
40,188 40,216 40,473 40,917 40,616
38,021
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 2 displays the rate of CPS reports per 1,000 children in Wisconsin from 2003
through 2007. The CPS reporting rate has remained fairly constant over the last five
years at about 30 out of 1,000 children in Wisconsin involved in a CPS report of
alleged maltreatment in a given year. The rate of CPS reports per 1,000 children
could fluctuate based on the number of CPS reports in a given year and/or changes
in the size of Wisconsin’s child population.
Figure 2 CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children, 2003-2007
35.0
30.0 30.1 30.4 30.0
28.9
CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
17
Child Protective Services Initial Assessment
The primary purpose of the CPS initial assessment is to assure the child’s safety and
determine whether the child and family are in need of any services to help keep the
child safe. The CPS initial assessment process does not result in establishing legal
culpability – instead the case is referred to law enforcement and possibly the courts
for that purpose. The CPS initial assessment must be conducted in accordance with
the Child Protective Service Access and Initial Assessment Standards released in
September 2007. These standards recognize that the CPS role must differ in cases
of familial and non-familial maltreatment.
In cases of maltreatment involving primary caretakers, the CPS initial assessment
includes an interview with and observation of the child, a visit to the family home, an
interview with any siblings and an interview with the child’s caregiver(s). Interviews
may also be conducted with other persons that have contact with the child.
Decisions that must be made during the CPS initial assessment include: whether the
child is safe; whether risk conditions are present; whether maltreatment occurred;
who the maltreater(s) was (if they can be identified), and whether the family is in
need of services to assure the safety of the child. Many elements enter into the
decision-making process including: the child’s ability to function and communicate;
parent/caregiver protective capacities; physical evidence; overall family functioning;
and the absence or presence of stressful family circumstances.
Upon completion of a CPS initial assessment, the agency must determine whether
child maltreatment has occurred or is likely to occur. Initial assessment findings for
allegations where maltreatment has occurred are either "substantiated" or
"unsubstantiated.” Initial assessment findings for allegations where child
maltreatment is likely to occur are either "likely to occur" or "not found likely to
occur.” For both of the situations above, a third finding may be used: "not able to
locate sources of information and/or subjects of the report – unsubstantiated.” This
finding is to be used only when the agency is unable to locate critical family
members or others involved in the report, making it impossible to gather the
information needed to make a determination.
Beginning in 1996, "substantiated" cases refer only to cases in which CPS staff
determines, based upon a preponderance of the evidence that child maltreatment
has occurred. A preponderance of evidence is a lower standard of evidence than
that needed for proof in juvenile or criminal court procedures. The agency may also
determine that maltreatment has occurred or is likely to occur without identifying a
particular person that has maltreated or will maltreat a child. Therefore, the agency
has the authority to respond to children in need of protection or services even when
a specific maltreater cannot be positively identified. In all cases, a substantiated or
abuse likely to occur maltreatment finding is not necessary for a family to be offered
services.
During the CPS initial assessment, the CPS agency must also assess whether the
child or children in the home are in danger of child maltreatment. If the child or
children are unsafe, regardless of the substantiation decision, the CPS agency
creates a safety plan to control identified threats to child safety. The safety decision
18
and services offered to the family as a result of the CPS initial assessment are the
focus of the section of this report entitled ‘Services to Families’ (page 42).
Table 3 shows the statewide CPS initial assessment workload for calendar year
2007. The number of CPS initial assessments (25,632) is less than the number of
children (33,870) because one CPS initial assessment is completed per family.
Appendix G shows the number of CPS initial assessments completed by each
county during 2007. Notice that the number of children (33,870) involved in a CPS
initial assessment is less than the number of CPS reports (40,616) found in Table 2.
If a CPS agency receives multiple reports containing different maltreatment
allegations but concerning the same child, these reports can be assessed during one
CPS initial assessment.
Table 3 CPS Initial Assessment Workload, 2007
Number of CPS Initial Assessments 25,632
Related to → 49,046 Maltreatment Allegations
Involving → 33,870 Children
Table 4 shows the statewide substantiation rate for calendar year 2007. The
substantiation rate is the proportion of maltreatment allegations that were found to
be substantiated after the conclusion of the CPS initial assessment. The
substantiation rate is calculated by dividing all substantiated maltreatment
allegations for calendar year 2007 by the total number of CPS reports. Appendix G
shows the substantiation rate by county for 2007.
Table 4 Statewide Substantiation Rate, 2007
Number of CPS Maltreatment Maltreatment
Reports Substantiation Substantiation
Count Rate
State Total 40,616 6,529 16%
Table 5 shows the child victimization rate for calendar year 2007. The child
victimization rate is the number of children who were victims of substantiated and/or
abuse likely to occur maltreatment out of a population of 1,000 children. The child
victimization rate is calculated by dividing the total number of children who were
victims of substantiated and/or abuse likely to occur maltreatment by Wisconsin’s
total child population. Appendix H shows the child victimization rate for 2007 by
county.
19
Table 5 Statewide Child Victimization Rate, 2007
Child Population Number of Child Child Victims per
(Ages 0-17)* Victims 1,000 Population
State Total 1,353,148 6,721 5.0
*Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimate for 1/1/2007.
Figure 3 depicts the trend in substantiation rates in Wisconsin from 1997 through
2007. The following policy changes and corresponding training are believed to have
contributed to the decline in substantiation rates since 1997. First, a 1996 federal
amendment to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act required all states to
implement formal appeal processes for maltreaters substantiated of child
maltreatment. Second, the Wisconsin Caregiver law was implemented in 1998. The
Wisconsin Caregiver Law requires background and criminal history checks of certain
personnel who are responsible for the care and safety of children and vulnerable
adults. Under this law, a substantiation of child maltreatment can bar or create
barriers to employment for individuals who wish to work with children and/or
vulnerable adults. To comply with these federal and state law changes, the “Case
Finding Determinations in Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect” policy was released
and training was provided on making maltreatment findings according to statutory
definitions and the appeals process. It is likely that these policy changes resulted in
increased consistency in the interpretation and application of a substantiated finding,
leading to a decline in the number of substantiated maltreatment allegations,
particularly in cases of alleged neglect and more moderate cases of alleged physical
abuse.
In addition, 2005 Wisconsin Act 232 eliminated the requirement, effective October
2006, that CPS agencies complete a CPS initial assessment in situations where the
alleged maltreater is not a caregiver for the children. These situations may be
referred to law enforcement and the family may be offered services. Due to this
law change, there was a significant decline in the number of non-caregiver CPS
initial assessments in 2007. Non-caregivers tend to comprise a significant
proportion of sexual abuse cases and the number of sexual abuse
substantiations also declined by 37% from 2,871 in 2006 to 1,814 in 2007. Non-
caregiver sexual abuse generally involves sexual contact to a minor by peers,
family friends, or strangers. This law change also contributed to the decline in
the substantiation rate from 2006 to 2007.
ERRATA SHEET
20 March 25, 2010
CORRECTED 2005 VICTIMIZATION RATE IN FIGURE 4 AS HIGHLIGHTED BELOW.
Figure 3 Statewide Substantiation Rates, 1997-2007
50%
36%
40%
34%
30%
Percent
27%
30% 24%
22%
20% 20% 20% 18%
16%
20%
10%
0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4 displays the child victimization rate in Wisconsin over a five-year period.
Starting with the 2005 Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Report, a child is counted
as a victim once for every CPS initial assessment he/she was in where he/she had
at least one substantiated or abuse likely to occur allegation. The previous method
used to calculate this rate in the 2004 and earlier editions of the Wisconsin Child
Abuse and Neglect Report used total substantiated allegations rather than child
victims. This approach elevated the victimization rate as the same child may have
had multiple substantiated allegations. The decline in the victimization rate from
2006 to 2007 was also impacted by a policy change in the new Access and Initial
Assessment Standards released in September 2007. The abuse likely to occur
allegation and finding was removed as a maltreatment type. Please refer to
Appendix D for discussion of changes to the abuse likely to occur finding in 2007.
Figure 4 Statewide Victimization Rates Per 1,000 Children, 2003-2007
8.0
Rate Per 1,000 Children
7.0
7.2 7.4
6.0
6.5 6.2
5.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
NOTE: The 2003-2004 victimization rates were adjusted to include likely to occur allegations.
21
Table 6 examines maltreatment allegations by maltreatment type (neglect, physical
abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and abuse likely to occur) and maltreatment
finding for 2007. For specific allegations of maltreatment, the maltreatment finding
may be substantiated, unsubstantiated, or not able to locate sources of information
and/or subjects of the report – unsubstantiated. For maltreatment allegations that
maltreatment is likely to occur, the finding may be abuse is likely to occur, abuse is
not likely to occur, or not able to locate sources of information and/or subjects of the
report – unsubstantiated. Appendix I shows a county-by county breakdown.
Table 6 Total Maltreatment Allegations by Type and Finding, 2007
Maltreatment Finding
Maltreatment Type S U N Total
Neglect 3,531 20,524 851 24,906
Physical Abuse 1,135 11,151 257 12,543
Sexual Abuse 1,814 4,650 335 6,799
Emotional Abuse 49 636 23 708
L NF N Total
Abuse Likely to Occur 1,649 2,297 144 4,090
S=Substantiated U=Unsubstantiated L=Likely to Occur NF=Not Found Likely to Occur
N= Not Able to Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Figure 5 shows the maltreatment findings from all CPS initial assessments by
maltreatment type for calendar year 2007. The figure displays the maltreatment
types with the most to least allegations from left to right. Thus, (1) neglect is the
most alleged type of maltreatment, followed by (2) physical abuse, (3) sexual abuse,
(4) abuse likely to occur, and finally (5) emotional abuse. The figure also shows the
maltreatment type with the most substantiations: (1) neglect, followed by (2) sexual
abuse, (3) abuse likely to occur, (4) physical abuse, and finally (5) emotional abuse.
Figure 5 Maltreatment Findings by Maltreatment Type, 2007
Substantiated/Likely
Unsubstantiated/Not Likely
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
25,000
20,524
Allegation Count
20,000
15,000
11,151
10,000
4,650
5,000 3,531
1,814 2,297
1,135 1,649
851 257 335 144 49 636 23
0
Neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Likely to Occur Emotional Abuse
22
Table 7 answers the question - given all the allegations of one type of maltreatment,
how many of those allegations were substantiated or found likely to occur as part of
the CPS initial assessment? Refer to Table 6 for the allegation counts used to
calculate the maltreatment type substantiation rates. For example, the physical
abuse maltreatment substantiation rate was calculated by dividing the total number
of substantiated physical abuse allegations (1,135) by the total number of physical
abuse allegations (12,543). Appendix J shows the substantiation rate within
maltreatment type by county for 2007.
Table 7 Statewide Maltreatment Allegation Substantiation Rate By
Maltreatment Type, 2007
Neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Likely to
Substantiation Substantiation Substantiation Abuse Occur Rate
Rate Rate Rate Substantiation
Rate
State
Total
14% 9% 27% 7% 40%
The following figures (Figures 6-10) depict the maltreatment findings for each
maltreatment type for 2003 through 2007. Neglect allegations increased
substantially in 2005 and again in 2007. The increases in allegations resulted in a
significant increase in neglect substantiations in 2005 and a slight increase in
neglect substantiations in 2007. Changes in Wisconsin’s data entry system have
impacted usage of neglect allegations and substantiations. Please refer to
Appendix D for further information regarding data interpretation.
The number of physical abuse allegations from 2003 to 2007 has remained relatively
stable; however, the number of substantiated allegations of physical abuse has
slowly declined.
The number of sexual abuse allegations and substantiations has steadily declined
since 2004. From 2006 to 2007, the number of sexual abuse allegations decreased
by 30% and the number of sexual abuse substantiations decreased by 37%. 2005
Wisconsin Act 232 eliminated the requirement, effective October 2006, that CPS
agencies complete a CPS initial assessment in situations where the alleged
maltreater is not a caregiver for the children. As non-caregivers comprise a
significant proportion of sexual abuse cases, this statutory change contributed
significantly to the decline in the number of sexual abuse allegations and
substantiations in 2006 and 2007.
While emotional abuse allegations have increased slightly since 2003, emotional
abuse remains a small portion of total allegations assessed and the number of
substantiations has remained stable.
There was a marked increase in the use of abuse likely to occur allegations and
findings in 2005 and 2006 as compared to 2003 and 2004. In 2007, this trend
23
reversed as the number of abuse likely to occur allegations and findings decreased
substantially. Please refer to Appendix D for discussion of changes to the child
welfare data entry system and policy that impacted usage of this allegation type.
Figure 6 Neglect Allegation Findings, 2003-2007
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Unsubstantiated
Substantiated
30,000
Allegation Count
851
25,000
783 942
20,000
1,203 809
15,000 20,524
17,489 17,499
10,000 12,608 13,236
5,000
2,546 2,684 3,255 3,313 3,531
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 7 Physical Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Unsubstantiated
Substantiated
14,000
277 257
422 390
Allegation Count
12,000 608
10,000
8,000
11,058 10,521 11,151
9,779 10,115
6,000
4,000
2,000
1,336 1,312 1,271 1,251 1,135
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
24
Figure 8 Sexual Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Unsubstantiated
Substantiated
14,000
663
674
Allegation Count
12,000
600 632
10,000
8,000 6,588
7,108 335
4,591
6,000 6,226
4,650
4,000
2,000 4,076 4,562
3,576 2,871
1,814
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 9 Emotional Abuse Allegation Findings, 2003-2007
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Unsubstantiated
Substantiated
800
23
Allegation Count
700
22 15
600
18
500
33
400 636
568 584
300 486
200 338
100
36 42 46 50 49
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
25
Figure 10 Abuse Likely to Occur Allegation Findings, 2003-2007
Not Able To Locate Information Sources/Report Subjects - Unsubstantiated
Not Found Likely to Occur
Likely to Occur
9,000
347
8,000
Allegation Count
7,000 285
6,000
4,781
5,000
1,134 470 3,737 144
4,000
3,000 2,070 2,297
1,067
2,000
2,590 2,775
1,000 2,111 1,862 1,649
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
26
Reporters
Reporters are persons who contact CPS agencies with information regarding alleged
maltreatment of a child. This section reflects data on the reporters who made the
reports received by CPS agencies (both screened-in and screened-out referrals)
during calendar year 2007.
Reporter’s Relationship to Alleged Child Victim
Certain individuals whose employment brings them into contact with children are
required by law to report any suspected child maltreatment seen in the course of
their professional duties. These individuals are referred to as mandated reporters.
However, anyone who suspects a child is being maltreated may make such a report.
Persons making referrals in good faith are immune from criminal or civil liability.
Wisconsin’s CPS delivery system requires any concerned individual to report
suspected child maltreatment directly to the local CPS agency or law enforcement.
Please refer to Appendix L for a list of where to report in your area. Any referral of
alleged child maltreatment received by law enforcement officials must subsequently
be referred to the local CPS agency. More information about reporting suspected
child maltreatment is available on the Internet at
http://www.dcf.wisconsin.gov/children/CPS/index.HTM.
Table 8 displays the count of all screened-in and screened-out referrals by the type
of reporter during calendar year 2007. The table lists the reporter types in
descending order from the most frequent reporters to the least frequent reporters.
Table 8 Referrals (Screened-in and Screened-out) by Reporter’s
Relationship to Alleged Child Victim, 2007
Reporter Count of Referrals Percent of Total Referrals
Educational Personnel 9,495 17%
Legal/Law Enforcement 8,891 16%
Social Service Worker 8,782 16%
Parent 5,461 10%
Anonymous/Not Documented 4,850 9%
Relative 4,037 7%
Other 3,856 7%
Mental Health Personnel 3,658 7%
Medical Personnel 3,011 5%
Neighbor/Friend 2,338 4%
Child Care Provider 818 1%
Other Caregiver 406 1%
Alleged Victim 284 1%
Alleged Maltreater 8 <1%
Total 55,895 100%
Note: For purposes of this report, all mandated reporter professions have been condensed into
categories.
27
Table 9 shows the types of maltreatment allegations that were screened-in for a
CPS initial assessment by reporter type. The number of allegations (49,046)
exceeds the total number of screened-in referrals (27,233) because reporters may
have made more than one allegation of maltreatment per child in the screened-in
CPS report. The reporters are listed in descending order, from the reporters who
made the most maltreatment allegations to those who made the least maltreatment
allegations.
Table 9 Total Maltreatment Allegations (Screened-in Referrals Only) by
Reporter’s Relationship to Alleged Child Victim, 2007
Maltreatment Allegation Type
Mandated Reporter Neglect Physical Sexual Emotional Likely to Total
? Occur
Yes Legal/Law Enforcement 4,386 1,722 1,457 70 890 8,525
Yes Social Service Worker 3,858 1,979 1,145 78 602 7,662
Yes Educational Personnel 2,257 3,380 825 154 489 7,105
No Anonymous/Not
Documented 3,413 1,082 601 50 328 5,474
No Relative 2,690 666 320 77 440 4,193
No Parent 1,858 926 679 85 285 3,833
No Other 2,143 587 323 35 347 3,435
No Neighbor/Friend 2,120 405 148 53 215 2,941
Yes Mental Health Personnel 673 692 705 58 183 2,311
Yes Medical Personnel 1,038 615 420 15 208 2,296
Yes Child Care Provider 206 295 66 12 59 638
No Other Caregiver 178 91 77 7 31 384
No Alleged Victim 86 99 33 14 13 245
No Alleged Maltreater 0 4 0 0 0 4
Total 24,906 12,543 6,799 708 4,090 49,046
Note: For purposes of this report, all mandated reporter professions have been condensed into
categories.
Figure 11 shows total maltreatment allegations (screened-in referrals only) made
by mandated versus non-mandated reporters by the maltreatment type alleged.
As shown in Table 9, the category mandated reporters includes legal/law
enforcement personnel, social service workers, educational personnel, medical
personnel, mental health workers, and child care providers (a full list of mandated
reporters by professions is found in s. 48.981(2), Stats., or visit
http://www.dcf.wisconsin.gov/children/CPS/progserv/manrpts.HTM). All other
reporter categories are considered non-mandated.
Mandated reporters made more total allegations than non-mandated reporters
and accounted for the majority of physical and sexual abuse allegations. Non-
mandated reporters made just over half of the neglect allegations.
28
Figure 11 Total Maltreatment Allegations by Maltreatment Type (Screened-in
Referrals Only), Mandated versus Non-Mandated Reporters, 2007
32,000
28,000 2,431
387
24,000 4,618
20,000 1,659
321
Count
Likely to Occur
8,683 2,181 Emotional Abuse
16,000
3,860 Sexual Abuse
Physical Abuse
12,000
Neglect
8,000
12,418 12,488
4,000
0
Mandated Reporters Non-Mandated Reporters
Reporter’s Allegations and Subsequent Findings
This section examines the question: of all the maltreatment allegations which
reporters made during calendar 2007 (screened-in reports only), how many of
the allegations were found to be substantiated or likely to occur by the CPS
agency after they completed the CPS initial assessment?
Figure 12 compares the categories of mandated versus non-mandated reporters,
showing the proportion of their total maltreatment allegations which were later
found substantiated or likely to occur after CPS initial assessment. Across all
categories of maltreatment, a higher percentage of the mandated reporter’s total
maltreatment allegations were found to be substantiated or likely to occur after
CPS initial assessment than non-mandated reporter’s maltreatment allegations.
Mandated reporters are more educated on child maltreatment reporting protocol
so they are less likely to report situations that do not meet the definition of child
maltreatment than non-mandated reporters.
29
Figure 12 Percentage of Reporter’s Total Maltreatment Allegations Found
Substantiated or Likely to Occur After CPS Initial Assessment,
Mandated versus Non-Mandated Reporters, 2007
50.0%
Mandated Reporters
45.0% Non-Mandated Reporters 44.3%
40.0%
34.5%
35.0%
29.4%
Percent
30.0%
25.0%
19.5% 21.0% 20.3%
20.0%
15.0%
10.6% 11.6%
8.9% 9.6%
10.0%
5.6%
5.0% 3.7%
0.0%
Neglect Physical Sexual Emotional Likely to Total
Abuse Abuse Abuse Occur
Note: The category mandated reporters includes legal/law enforcement personnel, social
service workers, educational personnel, medical personnel, mental health workers, and
child care providers. All other reporter categories are considered non-mandated.
30
Victims
A child is considered a maltreatment victim when the CPS agency identifies that at
least one maltreatment allegation was found to be substantiated or likely to occur
upon completion of the CPS initial assessment. Therefore, if a child is a victim of
substantiated neglect and physical abuse in the same CPS initial assessment, they
are counted as a victim once. However, if the same child was involved in two or
more CPS initial assessments (for example, one in January and one in October), in
which he/she had at least one substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment
allegation, they are counted more than once. Based on this method, there were
6,721 victims of substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment in 2007.
Characteristics of Maltreated Children
Figure 13 Gender of Victims, 2007
Gender
Figure 13 displays calendar year 2007 Females
victims by frequency and proportion 70 Males
according to their gender. In 2007, 1.0% Not Documented
more females were the victims of child
maltreatment than were males. Table
10 displays the child victimization rate
by gender for calendar year 2007.
3,006
The victimization rate by gender is 3,645
44.7%
calculated by dividing the number of 54.2%
female victims in 2007 by the
Wisconsin female child population
(ages 0-17), and by dividing the count
of male victims in 2007 by the
Wisconsin child male population (ages
0-17).
In 2007, females comprised a disproportionate share of the victims given their
number in the Wisconsin child population.
Table 10 Child Victimization Rate by Gender, 2007
Gender Child Population Count of Victims Child Victims Per
(Ages 0-17)* 1,000 Population
Females 658,459 3,645 5.54
Males 689,021 3,006 4.36
*Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimate for 1/1/2007.
NOTE: 70 victims are missing from the gender counts because their gender was not reported.
31
Age
Figure 14 displays the count of victims by age group for calendar year 2007. In
2007, the <1-3 age group accounted for the largest number of victims.
Figure 14 Victims by Age Group, 2007
Age <1-3 2,083
Age 4-7 1,648
Age 8-11 1,260
Age 12-15 1,307
Age >16 417
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Count
NOTE: 6 child victims are not depicted in this graph because age data was missing or incorrect.
Figure 15 displays the victimization rate by age and gender for calendar year 2007.
The victimization rate by age and gender is calculated by dividing the number of
2007 child victims of each gender in each age group by the respective number of
children in the Wisconsin population of the same gender and age group. In the
younger age groups, males and females are victimized at similar rates. At older
ages, females are victimized at much greater rates than males, primarily due to
sexual abuse.
Figure 15 Victimization Rate by Age and Gender, 2007
7.4
Age <1-3
6.9
5.4
Age 4-7 6.1
4.0
Age 8-11 4.6
2.6
Age 12-15 5.7
Males
1.4 Females
Age >16 3.5
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
Rate Per 1,000 Children
32
Figures 16 and 17 provide an explanation for the greater rate of female victimization
among the two older age groups. These figures show all maltreatment types except
emotional abuse for victims by their age group and gender. Females are victims of
many more counts of substantiated sexual abuse than males and in the two older
age group females are sexually abused at more than five times the rate of males.
Neglect declines with age for both males and females. Physical abuse occurs at all
age levels for both genders; however, males are physically abused at almost twice
the rate of females in the 4-7 and 8-11 age groups. Likely to occur, which is
primarily associated with neglect, generally declines with age for both genders.
Figure 16 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Maltreatment Allegations for Female
Victims, 2007
Age <1-3 704 152 71 313
Neglect
Age 4-7 399 90 317 209
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Age 8-11 268 69 288 136
Likely to Occur
Age 12-15 231 131 533 107
54
Age >16 85 166 25
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Figure 17 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Maltreatment Allegations for Male
Victims, 2007
Age <1-3 810 190 356
32
221 Neglect
Age 4-7 460 151 146
Physical Abuse
Age 8-11 296 133 125 156 Sexual Abuse
Likely to Occur
Age 12-15 195 117 83 89
34
Age >16 58 27
21
0 500 1000 1500 2000
NOTE: Figures 16 and 17 are missing 81 substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment
allegations due to missing data. Figures 16 and 17 do not display the 49 substantiated
emotional abuse allegations (23 female, 26 male) due to their small number.
33
Race and Ethnicity
Figure 18 displays the count of victims by race for calendar year 2007. Figure 19
displays the race of the Wisconsin child population in calendar year 2007. African
American children and American Indian children are victims of child maltreatment at
higher proportions than their comparative share of the general Wisconsin child
population.
Figure 18 Race of Victims Where Figure 19 Race of 2007 WI Child
Known, 2007 Population
208 40,512
105 4% 14,164 3% 34,889
2% 1% 3%
35,790
3%
1,473
25% 112,648
9%
4,029
69% 1,052,542
81%
Caucasian Caucasian
African American
African American
Asian
Asian American Indian/Alaskan Native
Other Race
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Two or More Races
NOTE: 895 victims (13%) are not depicted NOTE: Based on data from the 2005
above because their race was unknown or American Community Survey by the U.S.
not documented. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Census Bureau. Native Hawaiian/Pacific
Islander (11 victims) is not depicted. Islander is not depicted above.
Of the 6,721 victims, 3,759 victims (56%) were identified as not Hispanic/Latino, 540
victims (8%) were identified as Hispanic/Latino, and for 2,422 victims (36%) their
ethnicity was unknown or not documented. People of Hispanic ethnicity may be of
any race.
Fatalities
The death of a child is one of the most tragic consequences of child maltreatment.
The role of Child Protective Services in the case of a child maltreatment death is to
assure the safety of any other children present in the family and to assess the
family’s need for services. Investigations of child deaths are generally handled by
law enforcement agencies. For purposes of this report, the only fatalities included
are child deaths that were substantiated as maltreatment. County CPS agencies
and the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare reported 33 substantiated cases of a
child having died from maltreatment in calendar year 2007. Five (5) children were in
open cases for child welfare services with the county agency or the Bureau of
Milwaukee Child Welfare at the time of their death.
34
During calendar year 2007, the majority (79%) of the children who died of
substantiated maltreatment were age one or under. The majority of maltreaters
substantiated for the child’s death were the biological parent or the parent’s partner
(71%). The median age of the maltreaters was 25 years.
Table 11 Profile of Substantiated Child Fatalities, 2007
County Maltreatment Child Victim Maltreater
Type
Age Sex Race Age Sex Race Relationship to Child
Ashland Neglect <1 F I 22 F I Parent
Physical Abuse
Brown <1 M U/H U U U Unknown
and Neglect
Physical Abuse
23 F A Parent**
Dane* and Neglect <1 F A
Neglect 24 M A Parent
Relative/Primary Care
Dane Neglect <1 M A 49 F A
Provider
Dane Physical Abuse <1 F B 21 F B Parent
20 F W Parent
Fond du Lac Neglect <1 M W
23 M W Parent
Green* Physical Abuse <1 M W 31 M W Parent**
Non-certified family
Green Physical Abuse <1 M U 37 F W
home provider**
Neglect 20 F W Parent
Jackson <1 M U
Physical Abuse 24 M U Parent**
Kenosha Neglect 2 M W 23 F W Parent
Relative/Non-Care
Kenosha Physical Abuse 1 M W U M W
Provider**
29 F W Parent
Kenosha Neglect 3 M W
24 M W Parent
Non-certified family
Kewaunee Neglect <1 F U 36 F W
home provider(s)
Non-certified family
Kewaunee Neglect 2 M U 36 F W
home provider(s)
Marathon Neglect <1 M W 25 F W Parent
Menominee Physical Abuse <1 M I 23 M I Partner of Parent**
Milwaukee Neglect <1 F W U U U Unknown
Milwaukee Physical Abuse 1 F W 33 M U/H Partner of Parent
Milwaukee Neglect 1 M W U U U Unknown
Milwaukee Neglect 2 M B 44 F B Parent
Milwaukee* Physical Abuse <1 M B 29 F B Parent
Licensed day care
Outagamie Neglect <1 M W U F W
center employee
Racine* Neglect <1 M B 28 F B Parent
34 M B Parent
Rock* Neglect 1 M B
26 F W Partner of Parent
Saint Croix Physical Abuse <1 F W 21 M W Parent**
Sawyer Physical Abuse 1 M I 30 M I Partner of Parent
35
County Maltreatment Child Victim Maltreater
Type
Age Sex Race Age Sex Race Relationship to Child
Shawano 33 F W Parent
Neglect 10 F W
U M W Partner of Parent
33 F W Parent
Shawano Neglect 11 F W
U M W Partner of Parent
Walworth Physical Abuse <1 F U 25 M U Parent**
Relative/Primary Care
Waukesha Physical Abuse <1 F W 26 F W
Provider
U U U Parent**
Waukesha Physical Abuse <1 F U Relative/Primary Care
U U U
Provider**
Non-certified family
Winnebago Physical Abuse 2 F U 22 F W
home provider**
Wood Physical Abuse <1 M U 24 M U Parent
Sex Race/Ethnicity
F - Female W – White/Caucasian H - Hispanic
M – Male B – Black/African American A – Asian/Pacific Islander
U – Unknown I - American Indian U - Unknown
*Family was open for child welfare services with the county agency or the Bureau of Milwaukee
Child Welfare at the time of the child's death.
**Maltreater substantiated for committing the abuse that led to child’s death by shaken baby
syndrome or as an impacted baby.
Figure 20 Count of Child Fatalities Substantiated as Maltreatment, 1997-2007
35
30 33
25
Count
20
15 18 17 16
15
10
11 12 12 12
5
10
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
The new CPS Access and Initial Assessment Standards, released in September
2007, require that county CPS agencies and the BMCW complete a CPS initial
36
assessment in cases where a child dies due to maltreatment and there are no other
children in the household. In previous years a CPS initial assessment was not
required in these cases as there were no other children present to assure the safety
of and criminal prosecution is handled by law enforcement agencies. The new
standards require CPS initial assessments of these cases so that family case and
maltreater records contain this critical information in case of future concerns to child
safety.
Of the 33 substantiated child maltreatment fatalities reported by county CPS
agencies and the BMCW in 2007, 10 were cases where there were no other children
in the household. Therefore, in lieu of the policy change in the new Access and
Initial Assessment Standards, the 2007 child maltreatment fatality total would have
been 23 instead of 33.
A review of the cases reported by CPS agencies of a child having died from
maltreatment during the past 5 years (2003-2007) highlights trends among child
maltreatment fatalities in Wisconsin. First, the majority of children who are victims of
maltreatment which leads to their death are babies or very young children. Of the
reported child maltreatment fatalities from 2003-2007, 87% of the deaths were
children age 3 or under and 53% of the deaths were children under age 1.
Second, for the child maltreatment fatalities reported by CPS agencies from 2003-
2007, the most frequent maltreaters were the biological mother (31%), biological
father (23%), partner of parent/family friend (15%), other relative (9%), and day care
provider (9%). In cases where the biological mother was substantiated for the child’s
death, the maltreatment type was predominantly neglect of the child. In cases where
the biological father or the partner of parent/family friend was substantiated for the
child’s death, the majority of the time the maltreatment type was physical abuse. Of
the child maltreatment fatalities from 2003-2007, the families had had a prior CPS
initial assessment in Wisconsin in 31% of the cases.
Shaken Baby Syndrome and Impacted Babies
2005 Wisconsin Act 165 amended state statutes by creating provisions for the
training of individuals who care for or supervise children under age 5 on shaken
baby syndrome and impacted babies. Shaken baby syndrome is defined as “a
severe form of brain injury that occurs when an infant or young child is shaken
forcibly enough to cause the brain to rebound against his or her skull.” [Ref. s.
253.15(1)(f), Stats.] Impacted baby is defined as “an infant or young child who
suffers death or great bodily harm as a result of being thrown against a surface, hard
or soft.” [Ref. s. 253.15(1)(d), Stats.]
2005 Wisconsin Act 165 also created provisions for the identification of infants and
young children who have shaken baby syndrome or who are impacted babies. In
September of 2006, new description values were added to eWiSACWIS to allow
workers to indicate Shaken Baby Syndrome and impacted baby related diagnoses.
Examples of these description values include subdural hematoma, cranial cerebral
trauma, and retinal hemorrhage.
37
In 2007, there were 106 maltreatment allegations where one of the Shaken Baby
Syndrome and impacted baby related diagnoses were used to describe the
maltreatment allegation. Of these 106 allegations, 58 (55%) were found to be
substantiated or likely to occur upon completion of the CPS initial assessment.
There were 51 victims associated with these allegations. Of these victims, 25 (49%)
were male and 25 (49%) were female (for one gender was not documented). Sixty-
one percent of the 51 victims were under age one. The maltreater was the child’s
biological parent in 57% of the cases. The second most common named maltreater
was the partner of parent/friend in home comprising 9% of these cases.
Of the 33 child maltreatment fatalities in 2007, ten were attributable to shaken baby
syndrome or were impacted babies. The maltreater who abused the child causing
death by shaken baby syndrome or as an impacted baby is indicated with a double
asterisk in Table 11.
38
Maltreaters
A person is considered a maltreater when the CPS agency, after completing the
CPS initial assessment, identifies the person as having committed one or more types
of child maltreatment. A person is counted as a maltreater once per CPS initial
assessment no matter how many substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment types
they have committed. However, a maltreater is counted more than once if they are
involved in two or more separate CPS initial assessments in which he/she had at
least one substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment finding during the calendar
year (for example, one in January and one in October).
Based on this method, in calendar year 2007 there were 5,224 maltreaters of
substantiated or likely to occur child maltreatment. There are fewer maltreaters than
victims (6,721) because some maltreaters were found to have maltreated more than
one child. The CPS agency can also designate that a maltreatment type is
substantiated or likely to occur for a child without identifying a maltreater (i.e.
maltreater unknown). Of the 5,224 maltreaters, 274 (5%) were identified as an
unknown maltreater.
2005 Wisconsin Act 232 eliminated the requirement, effective October 2006, that
CPS agencies complete a CPS initial assessment in situations where the alleged
maltreater is not a caregiver for the children. As these matters are referred to law
enforcement, the characteristics of non-caregivers who maltreat children are
underrepresented in this report.
Characteristics of Maltreaters
Gender Figure 21 Gender of Maltreaters,
Figure 21 displays the frequency and 2007
proportion of maltreaters by their Females
gender. 637 Males
12% Not Documented
Figure 22 depicts all substantiated and
likely to occur maltreatment allegation
findings for maltreaters by their gender 2,268
43%
during calendar year 2007. If a
maltreater had more than one
substantiated or likely to occur
allegation finding during the year they
will be depicted more than once in this
graph. Males are sexual perpetrators
2,319
are much greater rates than females. 45%
The majority of female perpetrators’
maltreatment was related to neglect.
39
Figure 22 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Allegations by Abuse Type and
Maltreater’s Gender, 2007
2,646
Neglect 761
100
393
Physical Abuse 566
166
70
Sexual Abuse 1,251
479
28
Emotional Abuse 19 Females
2
Males
1,045
Likely to Occur 571 Not Documented
23
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000
Count
Age
Figure 23 shows the count of maltreaters by their age group for calendar year 2007.
Age data was unknown for 978 maltreaters (19%). Since the majority of maltreaters
are parents, the most common child-rearing age groups account for the largest
number of maltreaters.
Figure 23 Maltreaters by Age Group, 2007
Age <20 736
Age 20-29 1,419
Age 30-39 1,205
Age 40-49 669
Age >49 217
0 400 800 1200 1600
Count
NOTE: This graph does not depict 978 maltreaters whose age was unknown or not documented.
40
Race/Ethnicity
Figure 24 displays the count of maltreaters by race for calendar year 2007. Figure
25 depicts the race of Wisconsin’s population ages 18-44. This age segment of the
Wisconsin population was chosen as it portrays race for the age groups which
comprise the majority of identified adult maltreaters. Persons who identified as
African American and American Indian comprise a larger share of identified
maltreaters than their proportional share of Wisconsin’s general adult population in
calendar year 2007.
Figure 24 Race of Maltreaters Figure 25 Race of WI Population
Where Known, 2007 Ages 18-44, 2007
57
127 2% 51,083 57,135
3% 3% 3% 18,580
18,137
1% 1%
771
21%
120,937
6%
2,797
74% 1,732,700
86%
Caucasian
Caucasian
African American
African American American Indian
Asian
American Indian
Other Race
Asian Two or More Races
NOTE: 1,461 maltreaters (28%) are not NOTE: Based on data from the 2005
depicted above because their race was American Community Survey by the U.S.
unknown or not documented. Native Census Bureau. Native Hawaiian/Other
Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (11 Pacific Islander is not depicted.
maltreaters) is not depicted.
Of the 5,224 maltreaters, 2,312 (44%) were identified as not Hispanic/Latino, 243
(5%) were identified as Hispanic/Latino, and for 2,669 (51%) maltreaters their
ethnicity was unknown or not documented. People of Hispanic ethnicity may be of
any race.
Relationship to Victim
This section outlines the relationship of maltreaters to the child victims they were
found to have maltreated. Table 13 shows all substantiated or abuse likely to occur
maltreatment allegations by maltreatment type and the person designated as the
maltreater. The first category, primary caregivers, is comprised of maltreaters who
live in the home, regularly or intermittently, with the child victim. In 2007, primary
adult caregivers in the home (i.e. parents, step-parents, partners of parents, and
foster parents) were the maltreaters in 86% of the substantiated and likely to occur
maltreatment allegations. The second category, secondary caregivers, is comprised
41
of adults who have temporary caregiving responsibility for the child victim but do not
live in the child’s home. The third category, non-caregivers, is individuals who
interact with the child but do not have caregiving responsibility. The last category
depicts those allegations where the maltreater is unknown/not verified. CPS
agencies may have a preponderance of evidence that a child was maltreated but not
enough information to verify that a specific maltreater committed the abuse.
Table 12 Substantiated and Likely to Occur Allegations by Maltreater
Relationship to Child Victim, 2007
LIKELY
EMOTION-
NEGLECT PHYSICAL SEXUAL TO TOTAL PERCENTAGE
AL
OCCUR
PRIMARY CAREGIVERS
Parent 3,038 612 157 30 1,332 5,169 63.66%
Step Parent 38 70 71 2 46 227 2.80%
Partner of Parent/Friend in Home 206 134 174 10 141 665 8.19%
Sibling/Step Sibling 3 29 323 0 19 374 4.61%
Relative in Home 108 47 92 5 50 302 3.74%
Foster Parent 28 6 2 0 5 41 0.50%
Others Sharing Foster Home 14 25 136 0 13 188 2.32%
Other Primary Caregiver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%
PRIMARY CAREGIVERS SUBTOTAL 3,435 923 955 47 1,606 6,966 85.81%
SECONDARY CAREGIVERS
Licensed/Certified Child Care
0.44%
Provider 13 15 0 0 8 36
Other Child Care Provider 14 13 35 0 3 65 0.80%
Teacher/Other School Employee 3 2 8 0 0 13 0.16%
Residential Facility Staff 5 4 3 0 0 12 0.16%
Correctional Facility Staff 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.01%
Youth Organization Staff/Volunteer 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.01%
Relative – Not in Home 0 12 240 0 5 257 3.17%
Other Secondary Caregiver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%
SECONDARY CAREGIVERS
SUBTOTAL
35 47 286 0 17 385 4.75%
NON-CAREGIVERS
Stranger 1 0 20 0 0 21 0.26%
Neighbor 0 1 33 0 2 36 0.44%
Family Friend 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%
Peer Maltreater 0 10 146 0 0 156 1.92%
Other Non-Caregiver 10 12 218 0 4 244 3.00%
NON-CAREGIVERS SUBTOTAL 11 23 417 0 6 457 5.63%
UNKNOWN/NOT VERIFIED 27 131 140 2 9 309 3.81%
TOTALS 3,507 1,125 1,800 49 1,639 8,120 100%
42
Figure 26 shows the percentage of each type of substantiated or likely to occur
maltreatment by the three maltreater categories (primary, secondary, and non-
caregiver). For primary caregivers (total substantiated and likely to occur
maltreatment allegations 6,966), the largest share of their total substantiated and
likely to occur maltreatment allegations is neglect related. However, for secondary
caregivers (total substantiated and likely to occur maltreatment allegations 385) and
non-caregivers (total substantiated and likely to occur maltreatment allegations 457)
the largest share of their total substantiated and likely to occur maltreatment
allegations is sexual in nature.
Figure 26 Percentage of Maltreatment Types by Maltreater Category
Neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Likely to Occur
100%
4% 1%
90% 23%
80%
70% 14%
Percent
60% 74%
13% 91%
50%
40%
30%
49%
20%
12%
10%
9% 5% 2%
0%
Primary Caregivers Secondary Caregivers Non-Caregivers
NOTE: The counts used to calculate the above percentages can be found in Table 13. Emotional
abuse is not depicted above. Emotional abuse comprises 1% of primary caregivers’
substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment allegations, 0% of secondary caregivers’
maltreatment allegations, and 0% of non-caregivers’ maltreatment allegations.
43
Federal Performance Standards
Given the important role CPS agencies have in ensuring child safety, the federal
government has placed greater emphasis on the CPS initial assessment function.
As part of the Child and Family Services Review process, the federal Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) has established casework performance
indicators related to child safety and national performance standards. Casework
performance indicators are assessed through case reviews and monitored by states
as part of their quality improvement efforts. These indicators include timeliness for
initiating CPS initial assessments and agency response to identifying, understanding
and responding to child safety threats.
For the second round of state reviews, the federal DHHS has modified the national
performance standard definitions. The new definitions are presented below.
Wisconsin is scheduled to participate in a second round of the federal Child and
Family Services Review (CFSR) process in 2010.
The national performance standards measure state performance on the absence of
incidents of repeat maltreatment (Absence of Maltreatment Recurrence Rate) and
the absence of maltreatment of children in out-of-home care (Absence of
Maltreatment in Out-of-Home Care Rate). The Absence of Maltreatment Recurrence
Rate is calculated by identifying all children who were victims of maltreatment in the
first 6 months of a year and determining the percentage of children who were not
victims of another substantiated or abuse likely to occur report within a 6-month
period after the initial substantiated or abuse likely to occur report.
The Absence of Maltreatment in Out-of-Home Care Rate is calculated by identifying
all the children who were not victims of substantiated or abuse likely to occur
maltreatment by a court-ordered relative provider, foster parent provider, or group
home or residential facility provider during a given period. This number is then
divided by the cumulative number of children who were in placement during the
same period to establish the maltreatment in out-of-home care rate.
Because annualized data was not available from eWiSACWIS to determine
Wisconsin’s performance on these two national performance standards until
calendar year 2004, Wisconsin used a survey methodology approved by the federal
DHHS to estimate the state’s performance for prior time periods. Beginning in 2004
all data was produced from eWiSACWIS reports. These reports were developed to
be consistent with the federal report methodology and have been approved by the
federal DHHS.
The national performance standards for both of these measures are set at the 75th
percentile of all states based on the available data provided by states. For the first
round of the federal CFSR, the national standard for absence of maltreatment
recurrence was 93.9% or more. This standard will be raised to 94.4% or more for
the second round of the federal CFSR. The first round national standard for
absence of maltreatment in out-of-home care was 99.43% or more. This standard
will be raised to 99.67% or more for the second round.
44
Table 13 Federal Performance Measures, 2003- 2007
National Wisconsin Performance
Standard CY CY CY CY CY
Safety Performance Measures 1st Round 2003 2004 2005* 2006* 2007
Absence of Maltreatment Recurrence
Of all children who were victims of a
substantiated maltreatment report, what
percent were NOT victims of another
substantiated report within a 6-month 93.9% or
period? more 92.87% 94.75% 92.62% 92.92% 91.90%
Absence of Maltreatment in Out-of-
Home Care Of all children in out-of-home
care, what percent were NOT victims of
maltreatment by foster parents, including
court-ordered relative providers or facility 99.43% or
staff members?** more 99.70% 99.43% 99.53% 99.63% 99.44%
*The 2005 and 2006 absence of maltreatment recurrence rates have been re-calculated using a
corrected report methodology.
**In FFY 2007, the federal definition of “foster parent” was changed to include both licensed and
unlicensed providers (i.e. court-ordered relative providers) who were providing placement for
children due to child welfare concerns. The CY 2007 absence of maltreatment in out-of-home
care rate includes unlicensed provider maltreatment.
45
Services to Families
The role of CPS differs in cases of familial and non-familial maltreatment and this
affects the services the CPS agency offers to a family. In all cases, a substantiated
or abuse likely to occur maltreatment finding is not required for a family to be offered
services. In cases of maltreatment involving primary caregivers, the decision to
provide services to the family is based on the safety assessment and analysis and
resulting safety decision. The safety decision is the CPS agency’s determination,
based on the information gathered during the CPS initial assessment, as to whether
the conditions present make the child/children unsafe in the family home. A
designation of safe or unsafe is required for all children who reside within the
household. If at least one child is designated as unsafe, then the initial assessment
safety decision finding for the home is unsafe. In calendar year 2007, primary
caregiver CPS initial assessments comprised 91% of the 23,312 CPS initial
assessments completed by agencies that year.
The role of CPS in cases of maltreatment by secondary and non-caregivers is to
collaborate with and support the primary caregivers in providing protection and
services for the child, when necessary. A safety assessment and analysis is not
required in secondary CPS initial assessments and non-caregiver investigations
because the child’s safety within the home is not the focus of the case. CPS
agencies completed 2,320 secondary CPS initial assessments and non-caregiver
investigations (9% of all assessments) during calendar year 2007.
Safety Decisions & Services
Figure 27 shows the safety decisions better meet family needs or support
for completed safety assessments in family functioning.
primary caregiver CPS initial
assessments. In calendar year 2007, Figure 27 Safety Assessment
the majority (85%) of primary Results in Primary Caregiver CPS
caregiver CPS initial assessments Initial Assessments, 2007
resulted in a decision that children 3,398
were safe. There were 3,398 primary 15%
caregiver CPS initial assessments
(15%) which resulted in a decision that
children were unsafe. In an additional
263 primary caregiver CPS initial
assessments (not depicted) the safety
decision was not documented.
Appendix L shows safety assessment 19,651
result s in primary caregiver CPS initial 85%
assessments by county.
If a child is determined to be safe, the
CPS agency is not required to offer or Safe
refer the family for services; however,
the CPS agency may still inform the Unsafe
family about voluntary services or
available community resources to
46
If a child is determined to be unsafe, the CPS agency is required to implement a
safety plan to assure the child is safe and protected. The CPS Safety Intervention
Standards provide CPS workers with a structured analysis and decision-making
framework used to assess what specific, observable factors are making the child
unsafe. These factors are known as safety threats. The identified safety threats and
the analysis of these safety threats form the basis for safety planning. Safety
planning ensures that safety threats are controlled to keep the child safe while the
CPS agency works with the family to develop a plan to change those conditions or
behaviors negatively affecting child safety. The goal of this change process is a
family without safety threats or with the resources necessary to control safety threats
on their own.
While there are several distinct safety threats that can be identified as part of a CPS
initial assessment process, for analytical purposes, these threats can be grouped
into four categories based on the nature of the concern. First, there are safety
threats that relate to the act of maltreatment itself and the surrounding
circumstances, for example, premeditation and lack of remorse by the maltreater or
a hazardous living environment. Second, there are situations where the
maltreatment has caused serious effects to the child such as emotional problems,
lack of behavior control, and/or severe physical injury. Third, there are safety threats
caused by deficiencies in adult functioning such as out-of-control behavior and/or
violent tendencies. Finally, there are safety threats characterized by issues involving
discipline and parenting practices such as blaming the child for the adult’s problems,
a lack of knowledge, resources, and/or motivation necessary to provide basic care
for child, and/or ability to provide necessary supervision of a child.
In the 3,398 primary caregiver CPS initial assessments which resulted in a decision
that children were unsafe, 30% of CPS initial assessments had one safety threat
identified, 26% had two identified, 18% had three, 11% had four, and the remaining
15% had 5 or more identified safety threats.
In the 3,398 primary caregiver CPS initial assessments which resulted in a decision
that children were unsafe, 9,123 safety threats involving 5,986 children were
identified. Figure 28 shows the frequency of identified safety threats by the
groupings described above.
Figure 28 Frequencies of Safety Threats by Category
1,155
13%
1,011
11% Maltreatment and Surrounding Circumstances
4,213 Effects on Child
45%
Adult Functioning
Discipline and General Parenting
2,844
31%
47
Safety-related services are provided in the family home whenever possible, to
maintain and support the family unit. Services provided to ensure child safety are
intended to immediately control any conditions or behaviors that place a child in
danger. Some of these safety-related services may include parenting assistance,
supervision/observation, child care/respite, mental and physical health services,
and/or resources to help meet basic needs. In addition to services offered as part of
the safety plan, the family may also be offered additional services to meet family
needs and/or support family functioning. The use of in-home safety services for
families reduces the need for more intrusive interventions such as removal of the
child from the family home and may be used in response to children and families
involved in both substantiated and unsubstantiated cases.
CPS Removals of Children to an Out-of-home Placement
If the conditions in the home pose immediate danger to a child and in-home services
are insufficient to assure the safety of the child, the child may be removed from the
family home and placed temporarily in out-of-home care. A substantiated or abuse
likely to occur maltreatment finding is not required or necessary for a child to be
placed in out-of-home care when the child is unsafe. An out-of-home placement
may be with a relative(s), a foster parent(s), a group home or shelter, or a residential
child-caring facility.
During 2007, 3,123 children were removed from their family home and placed in out-
of home care as a result of the safety analysis and planning conducted in the CPS
initial assessment. Sixty-seven percent of these children had been found to be
victims of substantiated or abuse likely to occur maltreatment in the CPS initial
assessment that led to their removal to out-of-home care. Twenty-two percent of
these children had been in a CPS initial assessment prior to 2007 where they had
been found to be victims of substantiated or likely to occur maltreatment. Children
who were placed in an out-of-home placement as a result of unborn child abuse are
not included in the figures above and are presented separately in Appendix B.
Table 14 displays the mean and median age of children removed as a result of a
CPS initial assessment in 2007 by their gender. Of the 3,123 children removed from
their family home and placed in out-of-home care in order to address safety threats
identified during the CPS initial assessment, 50% were female and 50% were male.
Table 14 Median and Mean Age of Male and Female Children Removed to an
Out-of-home Placement, 2007
Gender Count of Children Median Age Mean Age
Removed
Females 1,567 6 6.7
Males 1,556 4 5.6
Figure 29 displays the primary race of the children who were removed to out-of-
home care during a CPS initial assessment. African American children and
48
American Indian children are removed to out-of-home care at a disproportionate rate
given their size in the Wisconsin child population. Of the children removed to out-of-
home care, 316 (10%) were identified as Hispanic, 2,323 (74%) were identified as
not Hispanic, and for 484 children (16%) their ethnicity was unknown or not
documented.
Figure 29 Race of Children Removed to Out-of-Home Care, 2007
53 114 7
2% 4% 0%
Caucasian
African American
1,123 Asian
37% 1,711
American Indian/Alaskan Native
57%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
NOTE: 115 children are not depicted above because their race was unknown or not documented
Initial Assessment Disposition
The initial assessment disposition is the action the CPS agency took upon
completion of the CPS initial assessment. In some cases, after the CPS initial
assessment, the case is closed as continued CPS intervention is not needed. Some
closed cases are referred to appropriate community resources. In other cases, the
case is opened but the family is referred to services that are not under the purview of
the CPS agency (case opened – non-CPS services). In other cases, the case is
opened and the family is provided services through the CPS agency (case opened –
ongoing CPS services: petition and voluntary). Finally, in some cases the family
already had a CPS case open and services will continue for this family after this CPS
initial assessment (case already open – ongoing services). Figure 30 shows the
count and percentage of initial assessment dispositions in the 23,312 primary
caregiver CPS initial assessments for calendar year 2007.
Figure 30 Initial Assessment Dispositions in Primary Caregiver CPS Initial
Assessments, 2007
355 1,157 108
1.5% 5.0% 0.5%
1,489
6.4% Case Closed
Case Closed and Family Referred to Community Services
Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: Petition
2,120 Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: Voluntary
9.1% Case Opened - Non-CPS Services
Case Already Open - Ongoing CPS Services
Not Documented
4,199
18.0% 13,884
59.6%
49
Figure 31 shows the 2,320 secondary CPS initial assessments and non-caregiver
investigations by initial assessment disposition.
Figure 31 Initial Assessment Dispositions in Secondary CPS Initial Assessments
and Non-Caregiver Investigations, 2007
48 129
28 2.1% 5.6%
1.2%
39 Case Closed
1.7%
Case Closed and Family Referred to Community Services
477 Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: Petition
20.6% Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: Voluntary
Case Opened - Non-CPS Services
Case Already Open - Ongoing CPS Services
1,599
68.9%
Table 15 shows the frequency and percentage of initial assessment dispositions
according to the safety decision for primary caregiver CPS initial assessments. In
the majority (88%) of cases where the safety decision is safe, the case was closed.
In the majority (85%) of cases where the safety decision was unsafe, the case was
either opened for some type of services or was already opened for ongoing CPS
services. A safety assessment and analysis is not required in secondary CPS initial
assessments and non-caregiver investigations because the child’s safety within the
family home is not the focus of the case.
Table 15 Safety Decision by Initial Assessment Disposition for Primary
Caregiver CPS Initial Assessments, 2007
Safety Decision
Safe Unsafe Not Total
Documented
Initial Assessment Disposition Count % Count % Count % Count %
Case Closed 13,406 68% 328 10% 150 57% 13,884 60%
Case Closed and Family Referred to 19 7% 4,199 18%
Community Services 3,999 20% 181 5%
Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: 7 3% 2,120 9%
Petition 578 3% 1,535 45%
Case Opened - Ongoing CPS Services: 12 5% 1,489 6%
Voluntary 556 3% 921 27%
Case Opened - Non-CPS Services 751 4% 395 12% 11 4% 1,157 5%
Case Already Open - Ongoing CPS Services 305 2% 38 1% 12 5% 355 2%
Not Documented 56 0% 0 0% 52 20% 108 0%
Total 19,651 100% 3,398 100% 263 100% 23,312 100%
50
Wisconsin
Child Abuse and Neglect
Report
Appendices
2007 Data
Bureau of Program Integrity
Division of Safety and Permanence
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
51
APPENDIX A
Child Maltreatment Related Statutes
Following are excerpts from the Wisconsin statutes that create the basis for persons
to report suspected child maltreatment and for child protective services agencies to
respond. The excerpts are from the updated 2005-2006 Wisconsin statutes
database. (Note: The excerpts appear exactly as they would appear in the
published statutes. Therefore, other portions of the statutes not relevant to child
maltreatment are included.)
Included in the excerpts are sections from chapter 48, known as the Children’s
Code, and sections from criminal statutes that are cross-referenced in the Children’s
Code in order to define child.
• s. 48.01, Stats., Title and legislative purpose.
• s. 48.02, Stats., Definitions. This includes definitions of child maltreatment.
• s. 48.13, Stats., Jurisdiction over children alleged to be in need of
protection or services. This describes the basis on which the local child
protective services agencies (county social/human services departments and
the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare) may petition the court to intervene
with a family.
• s. 48.981, Stats., Abused or neglected children and abused unborn
children. This section defines child neglect, describes the reporting
requirements of alleged child maltreatment and describes the child protective
services agencies’ duties and responsibilities.
• s. 939.22, Stats., Words and phrases defined. This section defines terms
that are used in describing certain crimes, some of which are cross-
referenced in s. 48.02, Stats., in order to define child maltreatment.
• s. 940.225, Stats., Sexual assault. This defines the crime of sexual assault
and is cross-referenced under s. 48.02(1)(b), Stats.
• s. 944.30, Stats., Prostitution. This defines the crime of prostitution and is
cross-referenced under s. 48.02(1)(d), Stats.
• s. 948.02, Stats., Sexual assault of a child. This is the first in a series of
crimes from chapter 948, known as Crimes Against Children that are cross-
referenced under s. 48.02(1)(b), Stats., in order to define child sexual abuse.
The following sections are also cross-referenced under s. 48.02(1), Stats.:
• s. 948.025, Stats., Engaging in repeated acts of sexual assault of the
same child.
• s. 948.05, Stats., Sexual exploitation of a child.
• s. 948.055, Stats., Causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity.
• s. 948.085, Stats., Sexual assault of a child placed in substitute care.
• s. 948.10, Stats., Exposing genitals or pubic area.
The complete Wisconsin statutes can be viewed at the Wisconsin State Legislature
website: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html.
52
APPENDIX B
Unborn Child Abuse
Unborn child abuse is defined as “serious physical harm inflicted on the unborn child,
and the risk of serious physical harm to the child when born, caused by the habitual
lack of self-control of the expectant mother of the unborn child in the use of alcohol
beverages, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, exhibited to a
severe degree.” [Ref. s. 48.02(1)(am), Stats.]
The maltreatment allegation of unborn child abuse is excluded from maltreatment
allegation counts in the body of this report and presented here separately.
• In calendar year 2007, CPS agencies screened-in 352 allegations of unborn
child abuse for further assessment.
• The most common reporters of screened-in unborn child abuse allegations
were social service workers (34%), legal/law enforcement (16%), and mental
health professionals (9%).
• Fifty-one of the 351 screened-in allegations (15%) of unborn child abuse were
substantiated after the CPS initial assessment.
• Of the CPS initial assessments which had a substantiated unborn child abuse
allegation, 88% were opened or already opened for CPS services.
• Thirty children were placed in out-of-home care after the child’s birth as a part
of the CPS initial assessment of unborn child abuse.
53
APPENDIX C
An Overview of the CPS Process
CPS Access
CPS receives a report of alleged
child abuse and/or neglect from a
source.
Screening Decision
Screened-in: CPS determines Screened-out: CPS determines
that at least one allegation that all allegations do not meet
meets statutory requirements for statutory requirements for abuse
child abuse and/or neglect. and/or neglect.
CPS case closed. Family may still be
offered/referred services.
Initial Assessment
Maltreatment Finding:
CPS assesses:
Substantiated or Unsubstantiated, and/or
Is the child safe?
Abuse Likely or Not Likely to Occur, or
Are risk conditions present?
Not Able to Locate Sources/Report Subjects -
Did maltreatment occur?
Unsubstantiated.
Safety Decision
Are services needed to ensure child safety?
Yes: No:
CPS case opened, and CPS case closed, and/or
family offered voluntary CPS family referred to community
services, or services, or
family assigned court-ordered CPS family offered voluntary CPS
services. services.
54
APPENDIX D
Data Collection and Interpretation
Data Collection Process
The child maltreatment data collected for calendar year 2007 is from the electronic
Wisconsin Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (eWiSACWIS).
eWiSACWIS allows case workers, supervisors and administrators to manage child
welfare services and supports practice responsibilities related to CPS access, initial
assessment, case management, court process, out-of-home placements, and more.
Compared with the previous child maltreatment data source, the CFS-40 form, use
of the eWiSACWIS system greatly expands the type of data collected and also
improves the timeliness and accuracy of child welfare data. The quality of the data
in this report is dependent upon the accuracy and timeliness of data recorded by the
local agencies.
The historical data in this report (prior to 2005) includes data from both eWiSACWIS
and the CFS-40 forms. Previously, counties completed CFS-40 forms at the
conclusion of CPS initial assessments and data from this form was manually entered
into a child maltreatment database. CPS agencies began using eWiSACWIS in
2001 and statewide rollout of the system was completed in 2004. The implications
of using the more robust eWiSACWIS data and the transition from CFS-40 data to
eWISACWIS data are discussed in the next section.
Data Interpretation
As with previous publications, data for the 2007 edition of the Wisconsin Child Abuse
and Neglect Report includes some cases in which the alleged maltreatment occurred
in a previous year but was reported and assessed in 2007.
The 2007 Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Report is the third year in which data
was taken entirely from the eWiSACWIS system. As counties have increased
experience using the eWISACWIS system, the 2007 data has become more stable
and reliable. In graphs which depict historical trends, differences in counts between
calendar years 2004 and 2005 can be seen. These differences coincide with the
transition from the legacy CFS-40 data system to eWiSACWIS and may be
attributable to varied data entry practices between and functions of the two systems.
In 2005 and 2006, the eWiSACWIS system required entry of a new allegation for
every maltreater alleged for each child. Therefore, if neglect was alleged for one
child by both parents it counted as 2 neglect allegations. The legacy CFS-40 data
system counted allegations once per maltreatment type per child (regardless of the
number of maltreaters).
In September 2007, the eWiSACWIS system was modified to allow allegations to be
counted once per maltreatment type per child while also separately maintaining data
on maltreaters. The impact of these data entry practices are most readily seen in
the neglect and abuse likely to occur maltreatment types as these situations more
often involve maltreatment by multiple individuals.
55
Changes in child welfare policy and practice have also impacted the use of the
abuse likely to occur finding in calendar year 2007. At the beginning of calendar
year 2007, the BMCW discontinued use of abuse likely to occur allegation type.
Then, with the release of the new statewide Access and Initial Assessment
Standards in September 2007, the abuse likely to occur allegation was removed
as a maltreatment type for the entire state. The abuse likely to occur allegation
type was discontinued because it lacked a definition that would allow consistent
usage and make it clearly distinguishable from the other maltreatment types. It
was found that the abuse likely to occur allegation could be more appropriately
categorized under one of the other maltreatment types to represent the risk of
maltreatment, in most cases neglect.
Mutual Sexual Activity
Mutual sexual activity by minors is excluded from all data tables and figures which
depict calendar year 2005 - 2007 data. Mutual sexual activity by minors appears in
counts in graphs which depict data prior to 2005. In 2007, there were 452 screened-
in allegations of mutual sexual activity by minors.
56
APPENDIX E
Total Referrals and Screening Decisions by County, 2007
Screen-
Screen- Percent Screen-in Percent Screen-in out
Total CPS out CPS Screen- CPS Screen- Service Service
County Referrals Referrals out Referrals in Referrals* Referrals*
Adams 267 169 63% 98 37% 146 78
Ashland 163 100 61% 63 39% 186 125
Barron 556 377 68% 179 32% 196 290
Bayfield 99 48 48% 51 52% 59 48
Brown 2,821 2,123 75% 698 25% 167 83
Buffalo 120 59 49% 61 51% 113 43
Burnett 169 133 79% 36 21% 92 87
Calumet 470 324 69% 146 31% 11 17
Chippewa 610 433 71% 177 29% 166 23
Clark 217 113 52% 104 48% 255 148
Columbia 227 77 34% 150 66% 633 411
Crawford 92 28 30% 64 70% 118 74
Dane 3,013 1,797 60% 1,216 40% 1,772 1,476
Dodge 365 145 40% 220 60% 314 53
Door 125 37 30% 88 70% 167 22
Douglas 973 677 70% 296 30% 351 60
Dunn 249 158 63% 91 37% 75 64
Eau Claire 1,164 897 77% 267 23% 263 286
Florence 29 6 21% 23 79% 13 0
Fond du Lac 589 57 10% 532 90% 787 774
Forest 54 22 41% 32 59% 137 108
Grant 396 190 48% 206 52% 455 62
Green 452 225 50% 227 50% 65 36
Green Lake 95 21 22% 74 78% 252 54
Iowa 300 155 52% 145 48% 170 31
Iron 21 2 10% 19 90% 40 3
Jackson 568 430 76% 138 24% 184 221
Jefferson 330 95 29% 235 71% 501 61
Juneau 144 36 25% 108 75% 202 59
Kenosha 936 274 29% 662 71% 900 518
Kewaunee 71 53 75% 18 25% 34 39
La Crosse 1,527 951 62% 576 38% 62 47
Lafayette 186 95 51% 91 49% 42 7
Langlade 564 151 27% 413 73% 256 112
Lincoln 302 177 59% 125 41% 321 47
Manitowoc 984 527 54% 457 46% 296 198
Marathon 1,211 691 57% 520 43% 864 68
Marinette 444 407 92% 37 8% 93 36
Marquette 89 39 44% 50 56% 159 77
Menominee 107 58 54% 49 46% 141 46
Milwaukee 13,622 4,491 33% 9,131 67% 2,314 899
57
APPENDIX E (Continued)
Screen-
Screen- Percent Screen-in Percent Screen-in out
Total CPS out CPS Screen- CPS Screen- Service Service
County Referrals Referrals out Referrals in Referrals* Referrals*
Monroe 549 304 55% 245 45% 472 14
Oconto 216 121 56% 95 44% 308 157
Oneida 276 11 4% 265 96% 346 4
Outagamie 2,382 1,394 59% 988 41% 126 298
Ozaukee 368 131 36% 237 64% 34 46
Pepin 22 3 14% 19 86% 67 15
Pierce 357 193 54% 164 46% 230 114
Polk 727 536 74% 191 26% 294 57
Portage 448 267 60% 181 40% 290 14
Price 80 42 53% 38 48% 160 4
Racine 2,487 1,469 59% 1,018 41% 2,001 28
Richland 130 65 50% 65 50% 105 130
Rock 2,167 973 45% 1,194 55% 2,093 499
Rusk 321 216 67% 105 33% 119 77
Saint Croix 594 333 56% 261 44% 506 139
Sauk 312 184 59% 128 41% 607 403
Sawyer 124 40 32% 84 68% 104 91
Shawano 207 44 21% 163 79% 465 202
Sheboygan 1,151 648 56% 503 44% 1,051 24
Taylor 218 139 64% 79 36% 48 5
Trempealeau 301 189 63% 112 37% 108 48
Vernon 257 136 53% 121 47% 132 36
Vilas 94 8 9% 86 91% 131 103
Walworth 622 323 52% 299 48% 506 64
Washburn 117 80 68% 37 32% 116 37
Washington 537 354 66% 183 34% 313 403
Waukesha 1,484 890 60% 594 40% 112 8
Waupaca 659 390 59% 269 41% 313 38
Waushara 305 151 50% 154 50% 20 9
Winnebago 2,392 1,433 60% 959 40% 1,638 105
Wood 1,270 747 59% 523 41% 175 140
STATE
TOTAL 55,895 28,662 51% 27,233 49% 26,362 10,203
*Source: Data about service referrals was compiled using the WiSACWIS sm0201 Access
Report. Service referrals represent contacts and decision made where CPS issues were not
identified as part of the report. Decisions about documentation of service referrals are not
governed by statute and are determined by local agency practice.
58
APPENDIX F
CPS Reports Per 1,000 Children by County, 2007
Child Population Number of CPS CPS Reports per
County (Ages 0-17)* Reports 1,000 Population
Adams 4,123 129 31.3
Ashland** 4,027 80 19.9
Barron 11,267 287 25.5
Bayfield 3,679 70 19.0
Brown 60,240 1,041 17.3
Buffalo 3,330 90 27.0
Burnett 3,420 65 19.0
Calumet 12,560 204 16.2
Chippewa 15,307 277 18.1
Clark 9,837 158 16.1
Columbia 13,127 181 13.8
Crawford 4,317 113 26.2
Dane 98,742 1,729 17.5
Dodge 20,624 305 14.8
Door 6,092 121 19.9
Douglas 9,670 452 46.7
Dunn 9,389 135 14.4
Eau Claire 21,321 438 20.5
Florence 1,121 29 25.9
Fond du Lac 23,860 835 35.0
Forest 2,441 39 16.0
Grant 11,260 285 25.3
Green 9,060 333 36.8
Green Lake 4,378 97 22.2
Iowa 6,162 215 34.9
Iron 1,236 30 24.3
Jackson 4,521 211 46.7
Jefferson 19,036 338 17.8
Juneau 6,437 143 22.2
Kenosha 41,180 876 21.3
Kewaunee** 5,154 21 4.1
La Crosse 24,787 859 34.7
Lafayette 4,186 158 37.7
Langlade 4,888 627 128.3
Lincoln 7,222 178 24.6
Manitowoc 20,178 674 33.4
Marathon 33,795 752 22.3
Marinette** 9,745 54 5.5
Marquette 3,127 66 21.1
Menominee 1,732 81 46.8
Milwaukee 232,577 14,052 60.4
59
APPENDIX F (Continued)
Child Population Number of CPS CPS Reports per
County (Ages 0-17)* Reports 1,000 Population
Monroe 11,636 339 29.1
Oconto 9,443 109 11.5
Oneida 7,940 336 42.3
Outagamie 45,507 1,436 31.6
Ozaukee 21,818 375 17.2
Pepin 1,913 22 11.5
Pierce 9,189 222 24.2
Polk 11,287 269 23.8
Portage 15,736 274 17.4
Price 3,569 61 17.1
Racine 49,359 1,422 28.8
Richland 4,296 84 19.6
Rock 39,780 1,968 49.5
Rusk 3,626 154 42.5
Saint Croix 20,803 361 17.4
Sauk** 14,760 199 13.5
Sawyer 3,923 115 29.3
Shawano 10,216 211 20.7
Sheboygan 28,045 758 27.0
Taylor 5,129 110 21.4
Trempealeau 6,685 151 22.6
Vernon 7,673 187 24.4
Vilas 4,266 109 25.6
Walworth 23,094 402 17.4
Washburn 3,863 50 12.9
Washington 32,459 237 7.3
Waukesha 94,439 814 8.6
Waupaca 12,959 393 30.3
Waushara 5,514 223 40.4
Winnebago 36,573 1,560 42.7
Wood 18,493 837 45.3
STATE
TOTAL 1,353,148 40,616 30.0
*Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimate for 1/1/2007.
NOTE: This report only includes screened-in CPS reports which had a supervisor approved CPS
initial assessment as of October 6, 2008. 199 screened-in CPS reports are not included in this
report because they did not have an approved CPS initial assessment as of that time.
**Denotes counties in which more than 10% of their screened-in 2007 CPS reports had a CPS
initial assessment which was not approved by a supervisor as of October 6, 2008.
60
APPENDIX G
County Substantiation Rates, 2007
Number of Number Maltreatment Maltreatment
Initial of CPS Substantiation Substantiation
County
Assessments Reports Count Rate
Adams 97 129 24 18.6%
Ashland 63 80 17 21.3%
Barron 169 287 30 10.5%
Bayfield 50 70 14 20.0%
Brown 680 1,041 259 24.9%
Buffalo 56 90 12 13.3%
Burnett 34 65 4 6.2%
Calumet 141 204 56 27.5%
Chippewa 173 277 79 28.5%
Clark 88 158 25 15.8%
Columbia 150 181 42 23.2%
Crawford 64 113 15 13.3%
Dane 1,132 1,729 388 22.4%
Dodge 220 305 86 28.2%
Door 88 121 36 29.8%
Douglas 280 452 40 8.8%
Dunn 90 135 43 31.9%
Eau Claire 267 438 81 18.5%
Florence 23 29 9 31.0%
Fond du Lac 497 835 142 17.0%
Forest 32 39 10 25.6%
Grant 193 285 14 4.9%
Green 217 333 57 17.1%
Green Lake 72 97 33 34.0%
Iowa 129 215 32 14.9%
Iron 19 30 13 43.3%
Jackson 129 211 57 27.0%
Jefferson 229 338 114 33.7%
Juneau 106 143 10 7.0%
Kenosha 661 876 145 16.6%
Kewaunee 18 21 11 52.4%
La Crosse 542 859 69 8.0%
Lafayette 89 158 39 24.7%
Langlade 362 627 127 20.3%
Lincoln 125 178 26 14.6%
Manitowoc 427 674 128 19.0%
Marathon 510 752 178 23.7%
Marinette 37 54 27 50.0%
Marquette 48 66 11 16.7%
Menominee 49 81 16 19.8%
Milwaukee 8,396 14,052 1,692 12.0%
61
APPENDIX G (Continued)
Number of Number Maltreatment Maltreatment
Initial of CPS Substantiation Substantiation
County
Assessments Reports Count Rate
Monroe 245 339 44 13.0%
Oconto 94 109 8 7.3%
Oneida 253 336 86 25.6%
Outagamie 922 1,436 195 13.6%
Ozaukee 229 375 70 18.7%
Pepin 19 22 5 22.7%
Pierce 148 222 33 14.9%
Polk 183 269 36 13.4%
Portage 170 274 62 22.6%
Price 38 61 9 14.8%
Racine 1,004 1,422 260 18.3%
Richland 65 84 10 11.9%
Rock 1,073 1,968 271 13.8%
Rusk 103 154 12 7.8%
Saint Croix 242 361 36 10.0%
Sauk 115 199 55 27.6%
Sawyer 83 115 28 24.3%
Shawano 152 211 27 12.8%
Sheboygan 478 758 94 12.4%
Taylor 79 110 7 6.4%
Trempealeau 111 151 16 10.6%
Vernon 118 187 18 9.6%
Vilas 86 109 32 29.4%
Walworth 294 402 135 33.6%
Washburn 37 50 8 16.0%
Washington 177 237 47 19.8%
Waukesha 582 814 263 32.3%
Waupaca 262 393 74 18.8%
Waushara 154 223 15 6.7%
Winnebago 862 1,560 206 13.2%
Wood 502 837 156 18.6%
STATE
TOTAL 25,632 40,616 6,529 16.1%
62
APPENDIX H
Child Victimization Rate by County, 2007
Child Population Number of Child Child Victims per
County (Ages 0-17)* Victims 1,000 Population
Adams 4,123 30 7.3
Ashland 4,027 16 4.0
Barron 11,267 26 2.3
Bayfield 3,679 13 3.5
Brown 60,240 239 4.0
Buffalo 3,330 12 3.6
Burnett 3,420 5 1.5
Calumet 12,560 47 3.7
Chippewa 15,307 86 5.6
Clark 9,837 27 2.7
Columbia 13,127 29 2.2
Crawford 4,317 28 6.5
Dane 98,742 429 4.3
Dodge 20,624 96 4.7
Door 6,092 30 4.9
Douglas 9,670 37 3.8
Dunn 9,389 45 4.8
Eau Claire 21,321 120 5.6
Florence 1,121 10 8.9
Fond du Lac 23,860 202 8.5
Forest 2,441 10 4.1
Grant 11,260 52 4.6
Green 9,060 56 6.2
Green Lake 4,378 28 6.4
Iowa 6,162 36 5.8
Iron 1,236 13 10.5
Jackson 4,521 38 8.4
Jefferson 19,036 106 5.6
Juneau 6,437 9 1.4
Kenosha 41,180 149 3.6
Kewaunee 5,154 11 2.1
La Crosse 24,787 132 5.3
Lafayette 4,186 39 9.3
Langlade 4,888 112 22.9
Lincoln 7,222 24 3.3
Manitowoc 20,178 136 6.7
Marathon 33,795 145 4.3
Marinette 9,745 35 3.6
Marquette 3,127 11 3.5
Menominee 1,732 16 9.2
Milwaukee 232,577 1,489 6.4
63
APPENDIX H (Continued)
Child Population Number of Child Child Victims per
County (Ages 0-17)* Victims 1,000 Population
Monroe 11,636 56 4.8
Oconto 9,443 10 1.1
Oneida 7,940 77 9.7
Outagamie 45,507 192 4.2
Ozaukee 21,818 96 4.4
Pepin 1,913 4 2.1
Pierce 9,189 31 3.4
Polk 11,287 29 2.6
Portage 15,736 61 3.9
Price 3,569 10 2.8
Racine 49,359 263 5.3
Richland 4,296 9 2.1
Rock 39,780 383 9.6
Rusk 3,626 12 3.3
Saint Croix 20,803 31 1.5
Sauk 14,760 64 4.3
Sawyer 3,923 21 5.4
Shawano 10,216 22 2.2
Sheboygan 28,045 102 3.6
Taylor 5,129 7 1.4
Trempealeau 6,685 16 2.4
Vernon 7,673 24 3.1
Vilas 4,266 38 8.9
Walworth 23,094 147 6.4
Washburn 3,863 12 3.1
Washington 32,459 47 1.4
Waukesha 94,439 320 3.4
Waupaca 12,959 69 5.3
Waushara 5,514 12 2.2
Winnebago 36,573 218 6.0
Wood 18,493 164 8.9
STATE
TOTAL 1,353,148 6,721 5.0
*Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimate for 1/1/2007.
64
APPENDIX I
Total Maltreatment Allegations by Maltreatment Type and
Maltreatment Finding by County, 2007
ALLEGATIONS BY TYPE
ABUSE
TOTAL PHYSICAL SEXUAL EMOTIONAL LIKELY
COUNTY NEGLECT
REPORTS ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE TO
OCCUR
S U N Total S U N Total S U N Total S U N Total L NF N Total
ADAMS 129 17 50 1 68 1 49 1 51 5 19 0 24 1 0 1 2 16 8 1 25
ASHLAND 80 3 21 0 24 2 28 1 31 12 21 5 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BARRON 287 21 203 12 236 3 56 7 66 6 36 0 42 0 4 0 4 2 5 0 7
BAYFIELD 70 8 22 0 30 3 24 27 3 7 0 10 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 11
BROWN 1,041 156 589 41 786 53 295 3 351 49 131 13 193 1 7 0 8 42 65 3 110
BUFFALO 90 3 62 2 67 4 15 0 19 5 9 2 16 0 6 0 6 0 1 0 1
BURNETT 65 1 41 2 44 1 15 0 16 2 12 2 16 0 2 0 2 2 8 0 10
CALUMET 204 30 86 0 116 7 59 1 67 19 46 5 70 0 1 0 1 1 19 0 20
CHIPPEWA 277 38 126 4 168 16 59 2 77 24 53 1 78 1 5 2 8 20 10 2 32
CLARK 158 9 90 2 101 4 52 0 56 12 15 1 28 0 3 0 3 5 0 0 5
COLUMBIA 181 18 58 0 76 13 73 0 86 10 50 0 60 1 2 0 3 0 1 0 1
CRAWFORD 113 7 43 0 50 4 30 0 34 4 18 2 24 0 9 0 9 21 19 0 40
DANE 1,729 230 525 34 789 79 494 7 580 78 213 14 305 1 8 0 9 160 198 25 383
DODGE 305 41 94 1 136 25 93 1 119 20 44 1 65 0 3 0 3 33 4 0 37
DOOR 121 15 61 0 76 4 26 0 30 17 43 3 63 0 1 0 1 3 4 0 7
DOUGLAS 452 23 310 7 340 4 90 0 94 13 52 1 66 0 2 0 2 8 29 0 37
DUNN 135 24 46 2 72 3 19 0 22 16 16 0 32 0 0 0 0 7 26 0 33
EAU CLAIRE 438 42 165 14 221 10 70 3 83 29 38 4 71 0 7 0 7 49 73 0 122
FLORENCE 29 2 9 0 11 4 8 0 12 3 4 0 7 0 1 0 1 1 5 0 6
FOND DU LAC 835 73 456 16 545 24 278 1 303 44 72 2 118 1 3 0 4 93 12 0 105
FOREST 39 2 8 2 12 4 12 1 17 3 2 2 7 1 4 0 5 1 2 0 3
GRANT 285 7 139 11 157 1 106 3 110 6 39 5 50 0 17 1 18 43 8 0 51
GREEN 333 32 155 7 194 11 120 2 133 13 34 2 49 1 6 0 7 15 27 0 42
GREEN LAKE 97 4 9 4 17 15 28 3 46 11 28 0 39 3 3 0 6 1 1 0 2
IOWA 215 15 103 3 121 8 77 1 86 8 32 0 40 1 18 0 19 16 6 1 23
IRON 30 6 12 0 18 4 5 0 9 3 1 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
JACKSON 211 44 154 0 198 2 47 1 50 8 30 0 38 3 17 0 20 2 4 0 6
JEFFERSON 338 56 133 0 189 18 67 2 87 40 60 11 111 0 3 0 3 14 4 0 18
JUNEAU 143 7 45 4 56 2 65 7 74 1 18 3 22 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 2
KENOSHA 876 38 274 20 332 50 369 8 427 57 104 15 176 0 7 1 8 9 7 0 16
KEWAUNEE 21 9 2 0 11 2 6 0 8 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LA CROSSE 859 25 470 16 511 14 186 4 204 30 116 10 156 0 13 0 13 85 76 4 165
LAFAYETTE 158 27 67 0 94 2 43 0 45 6 13 0 19 4 4 0 8 17 22 0 39
LANGLADE 627 92 428 10 530 12 108 0 120 22 52 1 75 1 34 2 37 25 5 1 31
LINCOLN 178 17 90 5 112 2 56 1 59 7 38 0 45 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 3
MANITOWOC 674 75 386 3 464 27 193 2 222 24 67 1 92 2 22 0 24 29 53 4 86
MARATHON 752 113 488 0 601 10 190 1 201 55 80 0 135 0 8 0 8 1 4 0 5
65
APPENDIX I (Continued)
ALLEGATIONS BY TYPE
ABUSE
TOTAL PHYSICAL SEXUAL EMOTIONAL LIKELY
COUNTY NEGLECT
REPORTS ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE TO
OCCUR
S U N Total S U N Total S U N Total S U N Total L NF N Total
MARINETTE 54 20 14 0 34 2 12 1 15 5 11 2 18 0 2 0 2 15 1 1 17
MARQUETTE 66 6 26 0 32 1 24 0 25 4 17 2 23 0 3 0 3 1 0 0 1
MENOMINEE 81 10 44 1 55 2 17 3 22 4 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 15
MILWAUKEE 14,052 937 8259 466 9,662 327 4,128 115 4,570 427 1,221 78 1,726 1 103 1 105 24 28 3 55
MONROE 339 19 187 4 210 7 70 1 78 18 34 8 60 0 1 0 1 19 47 1 67
OCONTO 109 0 20 0 20 4 58 1 63 4 21 1 26 0 0 0 0 4 5 0 9
ONEIDA 336 53 122 1 176 10 70 1 81 23 86 24 133 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
OUTAGAMIE 1,436 119 805 2 926 23 467 4 494 53 128 3 184 0 26 0 26 50 53 1 104
OZAUKEE 375 54 165 4 223 6 82 6 94 6 20 3 29 4 33 1 38 73 67 4 144
PEPIN 22 1 3 0 4 1 7 0 8 3 6 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PIERCE 222 15 99 3 117 4 48 1 53 14 38 2 54 0 2 1 3 13 24 1 38
POLK 269 14 147 13 174 9 39 2 50 13 48 4 65 0 5 3 8 3 33 2 38
PORTAGE 274 26 144 4 174 3 51 3 57 28 34 1 63 5 8 0 13 7 5 3 15
PRICE 61 3 30 0 33 0 25 0 25 6 13 0 19 0 11 0 11 5 15 0 20
RACINE 1,422 110 445 48 603 39 311 24 374 111 254 45 410 0 5 2 7 61 121 24 206
RICHLAND 84 4 30 3 37 2 36 0 38 4 17 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
ROCK 1,968 180 802 8 990 43 518 6 567 48 193 5 246 0 15 1 16 239 429 4 672
RUSK 154 9 75 0 84 1 38 0 39 2 34 0 36 0 4 0 4 0 9 0 9
ST CROIX 361 19 193 1 213 1 101 0 102 16 52 0 68 0 4 0 4 5 43 0 48
SAUK 199 24 45 2 71 10 26 1 37 12 18 3 33 9 0 0 9 39 50 3 92
SAWYER 115 13 53 0 66 6 44 0 50 9 21 0 30 0 1 0 1 1 10 0 11
SHAWANO 211 17 78 0 95 5 71 0 76 4 40 1 45 1 8 0 9 2 4 0 6
SHEBOYGAN 758 54 416 12 482 15 171 2 188 22 71 7 100 3 64 3 70 25 63 6 94
TAYLOR 110 2 62 0 64 2 52 0 54 3 6 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TREMPEALEAU 151 6 71 1 78 2 40 0 42 8 42 0 50 0 5 0 5 0 11 0 11
VERNON 187 4 147 0 151 2 42 0 44 12 38 2 52 0 16 1 17 12 10 0 22
VILAS 109 16 29 0 45 3 25 4 32 13 30 2 45 0 1 0 1 14 0 0 14
WALWORTH 402 54 103 3 160 27 78 1 106 54 72 8 134 0 2 0 2 54 34 7 95
WASHBURN 50 3 14 0 17 1 16 0 17 4 10 0 14 0 0 0 0 8 11 0 19
WASHINGTON 237 27 44 1 72 10 94 4 108 10 41 10 61 0 0 0 0 10 3 0 13
WAUKESHA 814 113 230 5 348 31 130 0 161 119 109 2 230 0 4 0 4 105 97 11 213
WAUPACA 393 44 142 3 189 16 99 0 115 11 76 1 88 3 30 0 33 23 57 0 80
WAUSHARA 223 9 181 15 205 2 84 6 92 4 16 4 24 0 14 1 15 4 22 4 30
WINNEBAGO 1,560 136 867 16 1,019 31 385 5 421 38 148 7 193 1 29 2 32 68 160 10 238
WOOD 837 80 412 12 504 39 181 3 223 37 67 2 106 0 16 0 16 41 151 16 208
STATE
40,616 3,531 20,524 851 24,906 1,135 11,151 257 12,543 1,814 4,650 335 6,799 49 636 23 708 1,649 2,297 144 4,090
TOTALS*
* The sum of the totals of each type of allegation may exceed the total number of reports because there may be more than one allegation
per report. The totals for sexual abuse exclude cases of mutual sexual activity.
66
APPENDIX J
County Maltreatment Allegation Substantiation Rate By
Maltreatment Type, 2007
Neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse
Abuse Likely
Substantiation Substantiation Substantiation Substantiation
County to Occur Rate
Rate Rate Rate Rate
Adams 25% 2% 21% 50% 64%
Ashland 13% 6% 32% N/A N/A
Barron 9% 5% 14% 0% 29%
Bayfield 27% 11% 30% N/A 18%
Brown 20% 15% 25% 13% 38%
Buffalo 4% 21% 31% 0% 0%
Burnett 2% 6% 13% 0% 20%
Calumet 26% 10% 27% 0% 5%
Chippewa 23% 21% 31% 13% 63%
Clark 9% 7% 43% 0% 100%
Columbia 24% 15% 17% 33% 0%
Crawford 14% 12% 17% 0% 53%
Dane 29% 14% 26% 11% 42%
Dodge 30% 21% 31% 0% 89%
Door 20% 13% 27% 0% 43%
Douglas 7% 4% 20% 0% 22%
Dunn 33% 14% 50% N/A 21%
Eau Claire 19% 12% 41% 0% 40%
Florence 18% 33% 43% 0% 17%
Fond du Lac 13% 8% 37% 25% 89%
Forest 17% 24% 43% 20% 33%
Grant 4% 1% 12% 0% 84%
Green 16% 8% 27% 14% 36%
Green Lake 24% 33% 28% 50% 50%
Iowa 12% 9% 20% 5% 70%
Iron 33% 44% 75% 0% N/A
Jackson 22% 4% 21% 15% 33%
Jefferson 30% 21% 36% 0% 78%
Juneau 13% 3% 5% 0% 0%
Kenosha 11% 12% 32% 0% 56%
Kewaunee 82% 25% 0% N/A N/A
La Crosse 5% 7% 19% 0% 52%
Lafayette 29% 4% 32% 50% 44%
Langlade 17% 10% 29% 3% 81%
Lincoln 15% 3% 16% 0% 0%
Manitowoc 16% 12% 26% 8% 34%
Marathon 19% 5% 41% 0% 20%
Marinette 59% 13% 28% 0% 88%
Marquette 19% 4% 17% 0 100%
Menominee 18% 9% 67% N/A 0%
Milwaukee 10% 7% 25% 1% 44%
67
APPENDIX J (Continued)
Neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse
Abuse Likely
Substantiation Substantiation Substantiation Substantiation
County to Occur Rate
Rate Rate Rate Rate
Monroe 9% 9% 30% 0% 28%
Oconto 0% 6% 15% N/A 44%
Oneida 30% 12% 17% 0% 100%
Outagamie 13% 5% 29% 0% 48%
Ozaukee 24% 6% 21% 11% 51%
Pepin 25% 13% 27% N/A N/A
Pierce 13% 8% 26% 0 34%
Polk 8% 18% 20% 0% 8%
Portage 15% 5% 44% 38% 47%
Price 9% 0% 32% 0% 25%
Racine 18% 10% 27% 0% 30%
Richland 11% 5% 19% N/A 0%
Rock 18% 8% 20% 0% 36%
Rusk 11% 3% 6% 0% 0%
Saint Croix 9% 1% 24% 0% 10%
Sauk 34% 27% 36% 100% 42%
Sawyer 20% 12% 30% 0% 9%
Shawano 18% 7% 9% 11% 33%
Sheboygan 11% 8% 22% 4% 27%
Taylor 3% 4% 33% N/A N/A
Trempealeau 8% 5% 16% 0% 0%
Vernon 3% 5% 23% 0% 55%
Vilas 36% 9% 29% 0% 100%
Walworth 34% 25% 40% 0% 57%
Washburn 18% 6% 29% N/A 42%
Washington 38% 9% 16% N/A 77%
Waukesha 32% 19% 52% 0% 49%
Waupaca 23% 14% 13% 9% 29%
Waushara 4% 2% 17% 0% 13%
Winnebago 13% 7% 20% 3% 29%
Wood 16% 17% 35% 0% 20%
STATE
14% 9% 27% 7% 40%
TOTAL
NOTE: Refer to Appendix I for counts of maltreatment allegations.
68
APPENDIX K
Percentage of CPS Initial Assessments by Type by County, 2007
Secondary CPS
Primary Percent
Total CPS Initial
Caregiver CPS Percent Secondary/
Initial Assessments/
County Initial Primary Non-
Assessments Non-Caregiver
Assessments Caregiver
Investigations
Adams 97 79 81% 18 19%
Ashland 63 27 43% 36 57%
Barron 169 155 92% 14 8%
Bayfield 50 46 92% 4 8%
Brown 680 655 96% 25 4%
Buffalo 56 48 86% 8 14%
Burnett 34 34 100% 0 0%
Calumet 141 141 100% 0 0%
Chippewa 173 151 87% 22 13%
Clark 88 80 91% 8 9%
Columbia 150 109 73% 41 27%
Crawford 64 60 94% 4 6%
Dane 1,132 1,036 92% 96 8%
Dodge 220 201 91% 19 9%
Door 88 60 68% 28 32%
Douglas 280 248 89% 32 11%
Dunn 90 72 80% 18 20%
Eau Claire 267 244 91% 23 9%
Florence 23 16 70% 7 30%
Fond du Lac 497 497 100% 0 0%
Forest 32 28 88% 4 13%
Grant 193 177 92% 16 8%
Green 217 197 91% 20 9%
Green Lake 72 45 63% 27 38%
Iowa 129 114 88% 15 12%
Iron 19 18 95% 1 5%
Jackson 129 122 95% 7 5%
Jefferson 229 185 81% 44 19%
Juneau 106 91 86% 15 14%
Kenosha 661 661 100% 0 0%
Kewaunee 18 14 78% 4 22%
La Crosse 542 483 89% 59 11%
Lafayette 89 82 92% 7 8%
Langlade 362 312 86% 50 14%
Lincoln 125 113 90% 12 10%
Manitowoc 427 392 92% 35 8%
Marathon 510 451 88% 59 12%
Marinette 37 35 95% 2 5%
Marquette 48 34 71% 14 29%
Menominee 49 46 94% 3 6%
Milwaukee 8,396 7,729 92% 667 8%
69
APPENDIX K (Continued)
Secondary CPS
Primary Percent
Total CPS Initial
Caregiver CPS Percent Secondary/
Initial Assessments/
County Initial Primary Non-
Assessments Non-Caregiver
Assessments Caregiver
Investigations
Monroe 245 223 91% 22 9%
Oconto 94 80 85% 14 15%
Oneida 253 159 63% 94 37%
Outagamie 922 815 88% 107 12%
Ozaukee 229 211 92% 18 8%
Pepin 19 14 74% 5 26%
Pierce 148 122 82% 26 18%
Polk 183 156 85% 27 15%
Portage 170 146 86% 24 14%
Price 38 35 92% 3 8%
Racine 1,004 1,004 100% 0 0%
Richland 65 60 92% 5 8%
Rock 1,073 968 90% 105 10%
Rusk 103 92 89% 11 11%
Saint Croix 242 227 94% 15 6%
Sauk 115 108 94% 7 6%
Sawyer 83 66 80% 17 20%
Shawano 152 129 85% 23 15%
Sheboygan 478 443 93% 35 7%
Taylor 79 74 94% 5 6%
Trempealeau 111 101 91% 10 9%
Vernon 118 111 94% 7 6%
Vilas 86 51 59% 35 41%
Walworth 294 204 69% 90 31%
Washburn 37 29 78% 8 22%
Washington 177 151 85% 26 15%
Waukesha 582 582 100% 0 0%
Waupaca 262 234 89% 28 11%
Waushara 154 141 92% 13 8%
Winnebago 862 813 94% 49 6%
Wood 502 475 95% 27 5%
STATE
TOTAL 25,632 23,312 91% 2,320 9%
70
APPENDIX L
Safety Assessment Results in Primary Caregiver
CPS Initial Assessments by County, 2007
Total Primary Number with
Number with a Number with an
Caregiver CPS Percent No Safety
Safe Safety Unsafe Safety
County Initial Unsafe Decision
Decision Decision
Assessments Finding
Adams 79 71 8 10% 0
Ashland 27 24 2 7% 1
Barron 155 129 18 12% 8
Bayfield 46 43 3 7% 0
Brown 655 543 112 17% 0
Buffalo 48 47 1 2% 0
Burnett 34 33 1 3% 0
Calumet 141 106 10 7% 25
Chippewa 151 122 29 19% 0
Clark 80 68 12 15% 0
Columbia 109 93 16 15% 0
Crawford 60 55 5 8% 0
Dane 1,036 920 116 11% 0
Dodge 201 168 33 16% 0
Door 60 55 5 8% 0
Douglas 248 239 8 3% 1
Dunn 72 60 12 17% 0
Eau Claire 244 213 31 13% 0
Florence 16 11 5 31% 0
Fond du Lac 497 373 77 15% 47
Forest 28 17 7 25% 4
Grant 177 151 25 14% 1
Green 197 172 25 13% 0
Green Lake 45 36 9 20% 0
Iowa 114 100 13 11% 1
Iron 18 13 5 28% 0
Jackson 122 104 18 15% 0
Jefferson 185 159 26 14% 0
Juneau 91 76 15 16% 0
Kenosha 661 572 37 6% 52
Kewaunee 14 10 4 29% 0
La Crosse 483 391 79 16% 13
Lafayette 82 64 18 22% 0
Langlade 312 282 30 10% 0
Lincoln 113 107 6 5% 0
Manitowoc 392 340 52 13% 0
Marathon 451 412 37 8% 2
Marinette 35 28 7 20% 0
Marquette 34 32 2 6% 0
Menominee 46 38 3 7% 5
Milwaukee 7,729 5,996 1,727 22% 6
71
APPENDIX L (Continued)
Total Primary Number with
Number with a Number with an
Caregiver CPS Percent No Safety
Safe Safety Unsafe Safety
County Initial Unsafe Decision
Decision Decision
Assessments Finding
Monroe 223 211 12 5% 0
Oconto 80 77 3 4% 0
Oneida 159 134 25 16% 0
Outagamie 815 776 39 5% 0
Ozaukee 211 189 22 10% 0
Pepin 14 12 2 14% 0
Pierce 122 110 12 10% 0
Polk 156 142 14 9% 0
Portage 146 126 20 14% 0
Price 35 30 5 14% 0
Racine 1,004 844 69 7% 91
Richland 60 51 9 15% 0
Rock 968 882 86 9% 0
Rusk 92 82 10 11% 0
Saint Croix 227 220 7 3% 0
Sauk 108 89 19 18% 0
Sawyer 66 60 6 9% 0
Shawano 129 121 8 6% 0
Sheboygan 443 404 39 9% 0
Taylor 74 65 9 12% 0
Trempealeau 101 97 4 4% 0
Vernon 111 100 11 10% 0
Vilas 51 43 8 16% 0
Walworth 204 167 36 18% 1
Washburn 29 29 0 0% 0
Washington 151 130 21 14% 0
Waukesha 582 503 74 13% 5
Waupaca 234 210 24 10% 0
Waushara 141 128 13 9% 0
Winnebago 813 723 90 11% 0
Wood 475 423 52 11% 0
STATE
TOTAL 23,312 19,651 3,398 15% 263
72
APPENDIX M
Where to Report
Listed below are the County Departments of Health and Human Services or Social
Services that receive and assess child maltreatment reports. Such reports may also
be made to law enforcement agencies.
Adams County Department of Health Buffalo County Department of Health
& Social Services & Human Services
108 E. North Street 407 S. Second St.
P.O. Box 500 P.O. Box 517
Friendship WI 53934-0500 Alma WI 54610-0517
Office Hours: 608-339-3356 Office Hours: 608-685-4412
After Hours: 608-339-3304 After Hours: 608-685-4433
Ashland County Department of Burnett County Department of Health
Human Services & Human Services
301 Ellis Ave. County Government Center
Ashland WI 54806 7410 County Road K #280
Office Hours: 715-682-7004 Siren WI 54872
After Hours: 715-682-7023 Office Hours: 715-349-7600 or 715-
349-2131 After Hours: 715-349-2121
Barron County Department of Health
& Human Services Calumet County Department of
330 East LaSalle Ave., Rm. 338 Human Services
Barron WI 54812 206 Court Street
Office Hours: 715-537-5691 Chilton WI 53014
After Hours: 715-537-3106 Office Hours: 920-849-1400
After Hours: 920-832-4646
Bayfield County Department of
Human Services Chippewa County Department of
P.O. Box 100 Human Services
Washburn WI 54891-0100 711 N. Bridge Street, Room 306
Office Hours: 715-373-6144 Chippewa Falls WI 54729
After Hours: 715-373-6120 Office Hours: 715-726-7799
After Hours: 715-726-7830
Brown County Department of Human
Services Clark County Department of Social
111 N. Jefferson Street Services
P.O. Box 22188 517 Court Street, P.O. Box 190
Green Bay WI 54305-2188 Neillsville WI 54456
Office Hours: 920-448-6035 Office Hours: 715-743-5233
After Hours: 920-448-3200 After Hours: 715-743-3157
73
Columbia County Department of Eau Claire County Department of
Health & Human Services Human Services
P.O. Box 136 721 Oxford Ave., P.O. Box 840
Portage WI 53901 Eau Claire WI 54702-840
Office Hours: 608-742-9227 Office Hours: 715-831-5700
After Hours: 608-742-7227 After Hours: 715-839-4972
Crawford County Department of Florence County Department of
Human Services Human Services
111 W. Dunn Street 501 Lake Ave., P.O. Box 170
Prairie du Chien WI 53821 Florence WI 54121
Office Hours: 608-326-0248 Office Hours: 715-528-3296
After Hours: 608-326-0241 After Hours: 715-528-3346
Dane County Department of Human Fond du Lac County Department of
Services Social Services
Children, Youth & Family Intake 87 Vincent Street P.O. Box 1196
2322 S. Park Street Fond du Lac WI 54936-1196
Madison WI 53713 Office Hours: 920-929-3400
Office Hours: 608-261-5437 After Hours: 920-929-3391
After Hours: 608-255-6067
Forest County Department of Social
Dodge County Department of Human Services
Services Forest County Courthouse
County Office Building 200 E. Madison St.
143 E. Center Street Crandon WI 54520
Juneau WI 53039-1330 Office Hours: 715-478-3351
Office Hours: 920-386-3750 After Hours: 715-478-3331
After Hours: 920-887-6713
Grant County Department of Social
Door County Department of Social Services
Services 8820 Hwy. 35 & 61 South
421 Nebraska Street, P.O. Box 670 P.O. Box 447
Sturgeon Bay WI 54235 Lancaster WI 53813
Office Hours: 920-746-2300 Office Hours: 608-723-2136
After Hours: 920-746-2400 After Hours: 608-723-2157
Douglas County Department of Health Green County Department of Human
& Human Services Services
1313 Belknap Street, Room 207 N3152 Highway 81, Pleasant View
Superior WI 54880 Complex
Office Hours: 715-395-1304 Monroe WI 53566
After Hours: 715-395-1371 Office Hours: 608-328-9399 or 608-
328-9393
Dunn County Department of Human After Hours: 608-328-9393
Services
808 Main Street, P.O. Box 470
Menomonie WI 54751
Office Hours: 715-232-1116
After Hours: 715-232-5987
74
Green Lake County Department of Kewaunee County Department of
Health & Human Services Human Services
500 Lake Steel Street 510 Kilbourn Street
Green Lake WI 54941 Kewaunee WI 54216
Office Hours: 920-294-4070 Office Hours: 920-388-3777
After Hours: 920-294-4000 After Hours: 920-388-3100
Iowa County Department of Social LaCrosse County Human Services
Services Department
109 W. Fountain St. 300 North 4th Street, P.O. Box 4002
Dodgeville WI 53533 LaCrosse WI 54602
Office Hours: 608-935-9311 Office Hours: 608-785-6050 or 785-
After Hours: 608-935-3314 6054
After Hours: 608-785-9634
Iron County Department of Human
Services Lafayette County Department of
Courthouse Human Services
300 Taconite Street 627 Main Street
Hurley WI 54534 Darlington WI 53530
Office Hours: 715-561-3636 or 715- Office Hours: 608-776-4800
561-3637 or 715-561-4168 After Hours: 608-776-4848
After Hours: 715-561-3800
Langlade County Department of
Jackson County Department of Health Social Services
and Human Services Langlade County Health Service
420 Highway 54 West Center
P.O. Box 457 1225 Langlade Road
Black River Falls WI 54615 Antigo WI 54409
Office Hours: 715-284-4301 Office Hours: 715-627-6500
After Hours: 715-284-5357 After Hours: 715-623-4111
Jefferson County Human Services Lincoln County Department of Social
Department Services
N3995 Annex Road 607 N. Sales St.
Jefferson WI 53549 P.O. Box 547
Office/After Hours: 920-674-3105 Merrill WI 54452
Office Hours: 715-536-6200
Juneau County Department of Human After Hours: 715-536-6272
Services
Courthouse Annex Manitowoc County Human Services
220 E. LaCrosse St. Department
Mauston WI 53948 926 South 8th Street
Office Hours: 608-847-2400 P.O. Box 1177
After Hours: 608-847-6161 Manitowoc WI 54220
Office Hours: 920-683-4230
Kenosha County Department of After Hours: 920-323-2448
Human Services
8600 Sheridan Road, Suite 200
Kenosha WI 53140
Office Hours: 262-605-6582
After Hours: 262-657-7188
75
Marathon County Department of Oconto County Department of Human
Social Services Services
400 E. Thomas Street 501 Park Ave.
Wausau WI 54403 Oconto WI 54153-1612
Office Hours: 715-261-7500 Office Hours: 920-834-7000
After Hours: 715-261-1200 After Hours: 920-834-6900
Marinette County Department of Oneida County Department of Social
Health & Human Services Services
2500 Hall Avenue, Suite B P.O. Box 400-Courthouse
Marinette WI 54143 Rhinelander WI 54501
Office Hours: 715-732-7700 Office Hours: 715-362-5695
After Hours: 715-732-7600 After Hours: 715-361-5100
Marquette County Department of Outagamie County Department of
Human Services Health and Human Services
428 Underwood Avenue 401 South Elm Street
P.O. Box 405 Appleton, WI 54911
Montello WI 53949 Office Hours: 920-832-5161
Office Hours: 608-297-9135 After Hours: 920-832-4646
After Hours: 608-297-2115
Ozaukee County Department of
Menominee County Department of Social Services
Human Services 121 W. Main Street
Social Services Building, Hwy 47 P.O. Box 994
P.O. Box 280 Port Washington WI 53074-0994
Keshena WI 54135 Office Hours: 262-284-8200
Office Hours: 715-799-3861 or 715- After Hours: 262-238-8436
799-5353
After Hours: 715-799-3861 Pepin County Department of Human
Services
Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare 740 7th Ave. West
1555 Rivercenter Drive Durand WI 54736
Suite 220 Office Hours: 715-672-8941
Milwaukee WI 53212 After Hours: 715-672-5944
Office Hours: 414-220-SAFE (7233)
After Hours: 414-220-SAFE (7233) Pierce County Department of Health &
Human Services
Monroe County Department of Human 412 W. Kinne St.
Services P.O. Box 670
Community Services Center A-19 Ellsworth WI 54011
14301 County Highway B Office Hours: 715-273-6766
Sparta WI 54656 After Hours: 715-273-5051
Office Hours: 608-269-8630
After Hours: 911 Polk County Department of Human
Services
300 Polk County Plaza, Suite 110
Balsam Lake WI 54810-0219
Office Hours: 715-485-8400
After Hours: 715-485-8300
76
Portage County Department of Health Sauk County Department of Human
& Human Services Services
817 Whiting Avenue 505 Broadway, 4th Floor
Stevens Point WI 54481 P.O. Box 29
Office Hours: 715-345-5350 Baraboo WI 53913
After Hours: 715-345-5350 Office Hours: 608-355-4200
After Hours: 1-800-533-5692
Price County Human Services
Department Sawyer County Department of Health
104 South Eyder Avenue & Human Services
P.O. Box 88 105 E. 4th Street, P.O. Box 730
Phillips WI 54555 Hayward WI 54843
Office Hours: 715-339-2158 Office Hours: 715-634-4806
After Hours: 715-339-3011 After Hours: 715-634-4858
Racine County Human Services Shawano County Department of
Department Social Services
1717 Taylor P.O. Box 434
Racine WI 53403 Shawano WI 54166
Office Hours/After Hours: 262-638- Office Hours: 715-526-4700
6321 After Hours: 715-526-3100
Richland County Department of Sheboygan County Health & Human
Health & Human Services Services Department
221 West Seminary 1011 North 8th Street
Richland Center WI 53581 Sheboygan WI 53081
Office Hours: 608-647-8821 Office Hours: 920-459-6418
After Hours: 608-647-2106 After Hours: 414-459-3111
Rock County Human Services St. Croix County Department of
Department Health & Human Services
3530 N. County Trunk F 1445 North 4th Street
P.O. Box 1649 New Richmond WI 54017
Janesville WI 53547-1649 Office Hours: 715-246-6991
Office Hours: 608-757-5401 After Hours: 715-246-6991
After Hours: 608-757-2244
Taylor County Human Services
Rusk County Department of Health & Department
Human Services 340 East College Street
Courthouse Medford WI 54451
311 East Miner Suite C-240 Office Hours: 715-748-3332
Ladysmith WI 54848 After Hours: 715-748-2200
Office Hours: 715-532-2299
After Hours: 715-532-2299 Trempealeau County Department of
Social Services
Courthouse, P.O. Box 67
Whitehall WI 54773
Office Hours: 715-538-2311 ext. 290
After Hours: 715-538-4351
77
Vernon County Department of Human Waupaca County Department of
Services Health & Human Services
E 7419 County Home Road, P.O. Box 811 Harding Street
823 Waupaca WI 54981-2087
Viroqua WI 54665 Office Hours: 715-258-6300
Office Hours: 608-637-5210 After Hours: 715-258-4466
After Hours: 608-637-2124
Waushara County Department of
Vilas County Department of Social Social Services
Services P.O. Box 1230
330 Court Street Wautoma WI 54982-1230
Eagle River WI 54521 Office Hours: 920-787-3303
Office Hours: 715-479-3668 After Hours: 920-787-3321
After Hours: 715-479-4441
Winnebago County Department of
Walworth County Department of Human Services
Health & Human Services 220 Washington Avenue
W3955 Hwy NN, Box 1005 P.O. Box 2925
Elkhorn WI 53121 Oshkosh WI 54903-2925
Office Hours: 262-741-3200/1-800- Office Hours: 920-236-4600
365-1587 After Hours: 920-233-7707
After Hours: 262-741-3200/1-800-365-
1587 Wood County Department of Social
Services
Washburn County Department of (South Wood County Office)
Health & Human Services Courthouse, 400 Market Street
P.O. Box 250 P.O. Box 8095
Shell Lake WI 54871 Wisconsin Rapids WI 54495-8095
Office Hours: 715-468-4747 Office Hours: 715-421-8600
After Hours: 715-468-2721 After Hours: 715-421-860
Washington County Department of
Social Services
333 E. Washington St.
Suite 3100
West Bend WI 53095
Office Hours: 262-335-4610
After Hours: 262-335-4670
Waukesha County Department of
Health & Human Services
500 Riverview Ave.
Waukesha WI 53188
Office Hours: 262--548-7212/548-
7666
After Hours: 262-547-7731
PFS-2013P (02/09)
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