Fatal Child Abuse in the United States of America based on Ethnicity

Abstract

Child maltreatment is recognized as one of the most complex problems in the United States of America and other countries globally. This dissertation explicates child maltreatment. The dissertation was founded on three key objectives including the investigation of child abuse among the different ethnic/racial communities, to highlight the existing differences in fatal child abuse among the racial/ethnic groups, and to establish the causes of fatal child abuse and differences among different ethnic groups. The methodology applied in the study was systematic literature review entailing the in depth explication of significant data sources related to the objectives hence ensuring that they are attained. One of the key findings of the study was that children below 3 years are the most vulnerable. The findings also reflected the view that neglect and physical abuse are the leading forms of abuse. Moreover, it was established that African-Americans report higher incidences and most of these cases are substantiated in terms of leading to abuse and subsequent incidences of deaths among these populations. The study concludes that all the research objectives were deeply met with the direct approach to each of the questions under study. The study recommends the need to act with urgency on cases of child abuse while also considering the strengthening of the criminal justice system in talking this menace.