Does Perpetrator Gender Affect Likelihood of Removal In Child Maltreatment Cases

• In Event: The Impact of Gender on Offending

Abstract

Abstract
Previous research on child abuse and neglect suggests that there may be gendered effects on case outcomes. Specifically, this research suggests that expectations based on the gender of the perpetrating parent may influence decisions to remove a child from an abusive environment. These gendered practices in child abuse and neglect cases can have serious consequences such as unjustified and disproportionate rates of removals between mothers and fathers.
The current project investigates the role of gender, perpetrator responsibility, and service-related outcomes. Using data collected by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) for the year 2006, multilevel modeling is used to examine case outcomes based on types of maltreatment and the gender of the abuser. Findings show that contextual factors in the Multi-level models do impact the likelihood of removal in child maltreatment cases.

Author

• Brandon Crawford, University of Oklahoma