Arizona Department of Child Safety—Compared to National Averages, Arizona’s Number of Child Abuse or Neglect Reports Has Been Similar or Higher and Its Substantiation Rate Lower, and the Office of Child Welfare Investigations Is Unique Among States

This report is in response to 2014 legislation and found that the number of child abuse or neglect reports in Arizona has been similar to or exceeded the national average, ranging from about 33,000 to 44,000 annual reports between federal fiscal years 2008 and 2013. In addition, although Arizona’s substantiation rate increased from 3.2 to 9.2 substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect per 1,000 children between federal fiscal years 2008 and 2013, it is below the national average. Finally, based on information provided by investigative agencies from 25 states, Texas is the only state we identified with a unit similar to Arizona’s Office of Child Welfare Investigations that investigates criminal allegations of child abuse or neglect. The other states’ investigative agencies indicated that child abuse investigations involve two parties—child safety caseworkers and law enforcement—but not a third investigative unit.