Age distribution of child maltreatment victims, 2003

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Working for Youth Justice and Safety

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Child Maltreatment

Q:	What is the age profile of child maltreatment victims?
A:	Infants younger than 1 accounted for 10% of child maltreatment victims in 2003.

Age of victim	Percent

0	9.8	%
1	6.4
2	6.4
3	6.3
4	6.1
5	6.0
6	5.9
7	5.7
8	5.5
9	5.4
10	5.2
11	5.1
12	5.2
13	5.2
14	5.1
15	4.6
16	3.5
17	1.9

Note: A child was counted as a victim each time he or she was found to be a victim of maltreatment. This table is based on sample data reported by 50 states (California did not report in time for the 2003 report year).

[ Graph version ] [ Excel file ]

Infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 3) accounted for 29% of victims in 2003.
One-year olds accounted for 6% of victims, as did each age through age 7. The proportion of victims dropped off sharply for older youth; 17-year-olds were just 2% of child maltreatment victims in 2003.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02106.asp?qaDate=2003. Released on March 27, 2006.

Data Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2003. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2005.