Suffer the Little Children: An Assessment of the Economic Cost of Child Maltreatment
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The physical and emotional consequences to the victims of child maltreatment represent a truly incalculable and often irreparable harm which should be sufficient justification for a massive national effort to both address the underlying causes and minimize the impacts on the victims. In reality, however, budget constraints and changing priorities have led to reduced funding to the agencies confronting the issue and fewer public resources for prevention, investigation, and amelioration. In addition to the very real effects on the individuals involved, child maltreatment imposes substantial economic costs which can be quantified in a comprehensive manner. When properly measured, every year that the situation is allowed to persist at current levels drains literally trillions of dollars in long‐term business activity.