1. THE ECONOMICS OF CHILD ABUSE
A STUDY OF SAN FRANCISCO

2. SAN FRANCISCO CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CENTER
PRESENTION
NATE MCWILLIAMS BERKELEY/HAAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SOCIAL SECTOR SOLUTIONS
KATIE ALBRIGHT
SAN FRANCISCO CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CENTER

3. WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE? REPORTED SUBSTANTIATED PHYSICAL SEXUAL EMOTIONAL
26.9%
SEXUAL
12.4%
7.3%
3.5%
2.7%
EMOTIONAL
3.7%
81.6%
62.1%
NEGLECT
REPORTED
SUBSTANTIATED

4. INCIDENCE-BASED TIMEFRAME
HOW COST IS CALCULATED
INCIDENCE-BASED TIMEFRAME
INCIDENCE BASED
PREVALENCE BASED
2015
2014
2013
2018
2017
2016
2012
2011
2019

5. LIMITATIONS
CHILD ABUSE IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERREPORTED AND UNDERSUBSTANTIATED
STUDIES DO NOT EXIST FOR MANY RELEVANT COST CATEGORIES
QUALITY OF UNDERLYING STUDIES VARIES
SAN FRANCISCO-SPECIFIC DATA IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE

6. USING SUBSTANTIATED CASES
ECONOMIC BURDEN
USING SUBSTANTIATED CASES
$400,533
LIFETIME COSTS PER VICTIM
753
SUBSTANTIATED CASES IN 2015 x
MONETARY COSTS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE IN 2015
$301.6M

7. ECONOMIC BURDEN NUMBER OF CASES ESTIMATE SUBSTANTIATED 753 0.62%
USING ESTIMATED CASES
NUMBER OF CASES
ESTIMATE
% OF CHILD POPULATION
NON-FATAL
SUBSTANTIATED
753
0.62%
$301,600,000
REPORTED
5,545
4.55%
$2,221,000,000
ESTIMATED
14,010
11.50%
$5,611,400,000
GIVEN THAT CHILD ABUSE IS VASTLY UNDERREPORTED, THE TOTAL ECONOMIC BURDEN COULD BE AS HIGH AS $5.6B

8. COST BREAKDOWN LIFETIME PRODUCTIVITY $314,417 EDUCATION $12,991
CHILD WELFARE
$11,035
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
$7,637
HEALTHCARE
$54,553

9. PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
COSTS: CHILD WELFARE
$11,035
PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
COST OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES, INCLUDING:
INTERVENTION SERVICES
FOSTER CARE
COUNSELING SERVICES

10. PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
COSTS: EDUCATION
$12,891
PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
VICTIMS ARE 77% MORE LIKELY TO REQUIRE SPECIAL EDUCATION.
LEARNING DISABILITIES
HIGHER ABSENTEEISM
POORER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

11. PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
COSTS: HEALTHCARE
$54,553
PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
AS ADULTS, VICTIMS HAVE 21% HIGHER HEALTH COSTS THAN NON-VICTIMS.
HIGHER INCIDENCE OF CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

12. $7,637 COSTS: CRIMINAL JUSTICE PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
AS A CHILD / JUVENILE, VICTIMS ARE 59% MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED.
AS AN ADULT, VICTIMS ARE 28% MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED.

13. $314,417 COSTS: LIFETIME PRODUCTIVITY PER SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF ABUSE
VICTIMS OF ABUSE ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE UNEMPLOYED. CHALLENGES TO EMPLOYMENT INCLUDE:
LOWER EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE
HEALTH PROBLEMS
CRIMINAL RECORD

14. CHILD MALTREATMENT HAS MANY MORE COSTS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY
UNQUANTIFIABLE COSTS
CHILD MALTREATMENT HAS MANY MORE COSTS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY
REDUCED LIFE EXPECTANCY
DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE
NEGATIVE PARENTING BEHAVIORS
HOMELESSNESS
DIVORCE AND ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
INTERGENERATIONAL CONSEQUENCES

15. SAN FRANCISCO’S PREVALENCE OF COMMUNITY RISK FACTORS IS HIGH
SOCIAL & SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY
HIGH POVERTY
HIGH RESIDENTIAL INSTABILITY / LACK OF ADEQUATE HOUSING
POOR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS: HIGH EMIGRATION & IMMIGRATION
COMMUNITY VIOLENCE
HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
HIGH DENSITY OF ALCOHOL OUTLETS

16. ATTRIBUTES THAT KEEP CHILDREN, FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES SAFE & HEALTHY
COMMUNITY PROTECTIVE FACTORS
ATTRIBUTES THAT KEEP CHILDREN, FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES SAFE & HEALTHY
SYSTEMS TO SUPPORTING POSITIVE PARENTING
ECONOMIC SUPPORTS
SAFE & STABLE HOUSING
ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, EARLY CARE & EDUCATION, PARKS & RECREATION

17. ATTRIBUTES THAT KEEP CHILDREN & FAMILIES SAFE & HEALTHY
FAMILY PROTECTIVE FACTORS
ATTRIBUTES THAT KEEP CHILDREN & FAMILIES SAFE & HEALTHY
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN
KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
PARENTAL RESILIENCE
SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
CONCRETE SUPPORT IN TIMES OF NEED

18. COMMUNITY ACTION NEXT STEPS… APRIL: RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS
BRIEFING PUBLIC OFFICIALS
LAUNCHING COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVESFINANCING SOCIAL IMPACT MECHANISMS (4E WAIVER?)

19. Q&A

20. THE REPORT READ & SHARE REPORT HTTP://SFCACP.ORG/COSTOFABUSE
THANK YOU!