“All Americans can agree that child abuse and neglect must be eliminated. Recent research supports our intuitive sense that individuals victimized as children often have difficulty overcoming such experiences, and that those experiences are often related to subsequent problems of juvenile crime, domestic violence, poor academic achievement, substance abuse, and other social ills. Daily press accounts and regular debates in Congress and state legislatures reflect the widespread nature of the problem and the desire to do something about it. This 1999 CWLA Stat Book provides the public and decisionmakers with state-by-state comprehensive child welfare data essential for planning and priority setting.” The Authors