Local Context
Child abuse is impacting all Illinois. As the Chicago tribune article mentions, “nearly one year after Illinois child welfare official revealed under pressure that more children had died from abuse or neglect than earlier reported, new states statistics show the disturbing high rate has continued”
Illinois is known and appears to be again one of the highest totals of deaths since the statistics in 1981. DCFS predicts that these high rates of abuse can be improved by investigation and data collection rather than a surge in abuse of children. In 2010 the total deaths do to abuse was 30. In 2011 38 deaths, 2012 32 deaths, 2013 32 deaths, and 2014 there was 26 deaths. Total deaths due to neglect in 2010 was 45 deaths, 2011 57 deaths, 2013 79 deaths, and in 2014 there was 61 deaths. Although the numbers of deaths due to abuse are lowering as of 2014, it is still a high number of deaths for abuse and neglect. |