Children’s Defense Fund Statistics

Statistics from the Children’s Defense Fund provide the following facts to support the notion that our current generation of children is suffering a variety of stresses and trauma. Close to one million U.S. children per year are confirmed as victims of abuse and neglect. Over half a million children are in foster care – a 35% increase since 1990. The main reason for this upward trend is the increase in illegal drug use in parents.

Every day in America the following occurs for children or youths under 20 years of age:

5 children or youths commit suicide
18 children or youths are homicide victims, 9 of whom die from firearms
34 children die from accidents
180 children are arrested for violent crimes
367 children are arrested for drug abuse
401 babies are born to mothers who had little or no prenatal care
1,310 babies are born without health insurance
2,019 babies are born into poverty
2,861 high school students drop out
7,883 children are reported abused or neglected
17,297 public school students are suspended

Other statistics:

1 in 2 children live in a single parent home at some point in their childhood
1 in 3 children are poor at some point in their childhood
1 in 3 children are a year or more behind in school
1 in 5 children are born to a mother who did not finish high school
1 in 8 children never graduate from high school
1 in 12 has a disability
1 in 24 live with neither of their parents
1 in 139 will die before their 1st birthday
1 in 1,056 will be killed by guns before age 20

These statistics are haunting examples of the state of family life for many of our nation’s children. This is our next generation who we, the current adult generation, will be expecting to provide leadership for our country in the years to come.