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Home > Statistics & Research > Child Welfare Outcomes 1999: Chapter 4 > New Jersey

 

Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comments

New Jersey [ Context Data ]

A. Key Context Statistics

General Population 1998 1999
Total children under 18 years 1,990,439 2,003,204
Race/ethnicity (%)
 Alaska Native/American Indian 0.2 0.2
 Asian/Pacific Islander 6.0 6.3
 Black 15.9 15.9
 Hispanic 15.5 15.8
 White 62.4 61.8
% Child population in poverty 15.0 10.1
% Child population living in metropolitan areas 100.0 100.0

 

Child Welfare 1998 1999
Child maltreatment victims 9,851 9,222
Children in foster care on 9/30 9,182 9,494
Children adopted 813 729

 

B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS SDC, 1998 & 1999)

  Number Rate
Maltreatment Information Overview 1998 1999 1998 1999
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment 75,988 74,585 38.2 per 1,000 37.2 per 1,000
Child maltreatment victims1 9,851 9,222 4.9 per 1,000 4.6 per 1,000
Child fatalities 29 29 1.5 per 100,000 1.4 per 100,000


Age of Child Victims (%) 1998 1999
Under 1 year 2.5 2.4
1-5 years 30.1 30.6
6-10 years 33.8 33.1
11-15 years 23.1 24.2
16+ years 7.6 7.3
Unknown 2.9 2.5
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 9,851 9,222

 

Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%) 1998 1999
Alaska Native/American Indian 0.1 0.3
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.9 0.7
Black 49.6 47.2
Hispanic 13.7 15.3
White 33.5 33.6
Other 1.4 1.6
Unknown 0.7 16.6
Total %2 100.0 115.3
Number 9,851 9,222

 

Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%) 1998 1999
Emotional abuse 2.9 2.8
Medical neglect 3.4 3.2
Neglect 63.2 62.7
Physical abuse 22.5 23.3
Sexual abuse 8.0 8.0
Other - -
Unknown - -
Total %3 100.0 100.0
Number 9,851 9,222

1) Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once. Back
2) Percentages may total more than 100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic ethnicity and by race. Back
3) Percentages may total more than 100 percent because children could have been victims of more than one type of maltreatment. Back

C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998 & FY 1999)

Number of Children In Care on 10/1 Entered Care Exited Care In Care on 9/30 Total Served
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) 8,672 4,747 4,246 9,182 13,419
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) 8,894 4,768 4,178 9,494 13,662
Median Length of Stay (Months) <  <  <  <  < 
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) 20.1 N/A 11.7 19.8 N/A
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) 20.0 N/A 11.7 20.3 N/A

 

Age of Children in Foster Care (%) In Care on 10/1/97 In Care on 10/1/98 Entered Care During FY 1998 Entered Care During FY 1999 Exited Care During FY 1998 Exited Care During FY 1999 In Care on 9/30/98 In Care on 9/30/99
Under 1 year 7.6 7.5 21.4 20.2 6.3 6.7 7.5 6.5
1-5 years 32.1 32.1 21.2 20.9 26.2 27.3 32.2 31.4
6-10 years 23.2 23.3 16.4 18.3 18.1 17.8 22.9 24.0
11-15 years 23.2 23.8 28.2 27.8 23.0 22.7 24.1 24.4
16-18 years 13.2 12.7 12.6 12.7 24.2 23.0 12.9 13.1
19+ years 0.6 0.6 0.2 0.1 2.0 2.1 0.4 0.7
Missing 0.0 0.1 - 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.0
Total % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number 8,672 8,894 4,747 4,768 4,246 4,178 9,182 9,494

 

Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%) In Care on 10/1/97 In Care on 10/1/98 Entered Care During FY 1998 Entered Care During FY 1999 Exited Care During FY 1998 Exited Care During FY 1999 In Care on 9/30/98 In Care on 9/30/99
Alaska Native/American Indian 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.4
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.2
Black 65.3 64.9 55.8 55.6 57.5 56.7 64.1 63.8
Hispanic 10.1 9.3 8.5 7.8 9.8 9.5 9.4 8.4
White 21.5 21.6 27.7 28.5 27.4 26.8 21.9 22.8
Unknown 2.5 3.5 7.1 7.6 4.7 6.2 3.9 4.4
Not applicable - - - - - - - 0.0
Total % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number 8,672 8,894 4,747 4,768 4,246 4,178 9,182 9,494

 

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D. Children Waiting to Be Adopted on 9/30/1998 and 9/30/1999
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998 & 1999)4

4) Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parents’ rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation, have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations. Back

Overview 9/30/98 9/30/99
Children waiting to be adopted 3,908 4,427
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) 2,900 3,655

 

Age of Waiting Children (%) 1998 1999
Under 1 year 4.6 3.7
1-5 years 42.2 41.4
6-10 years 28.3 29.8
11-15 years 18.3 18.3
16+ years 5.8 5.8
Unknown 0.7 1.1
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 3,908 4,427

 

Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%) 1998 1999
Alaska Native/American Indian 0.3 0.5
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.2 0.2
Black 69.9 70.6
Hispanic 8.9 8.0
White 18.3 18.0
Unknown 2.4 2.8
Not applicable - 0.0
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 3,908 4,427

 

E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998 & 1999)

 

Age of Adopted Children (%) 1998 1999
Under 1 year 1.5 1.0
1-5 years 55.1 58.6
6-10 years 32.5 29.4
11-15 years 10.5 10.4
16+ years 0.5 0.7
Unknown - -
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 813 729

 

Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%) 1998 1999
Alaska Native/American Indian 0.1 0.4
Asian/Pacific Islander - 0.3
Black 69.4 65.2
Hispanic 9.0 9.1
White 20.7 22.4
Unknown 0.9 2.5
Not applicable - 0.3
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 813 729

 

 

New Jersey [ Outcomes Data ]

 

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1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS, DCDC 1998 & 1999)

1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) 1998 1999
Children without a recurrence 93.4 94.8
Children with one or more recurrences 6.6 5.2
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 6,633 4,514

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children With One or More Recurrences of Maltreatment within 6 months data from Table 1.1 above.

2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care
(NCANDS, DCDC Jan —Sept, AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database Jan —Sept 1998 & 1999)

2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) 1998 1999
Children maltreated while in Foster Care 1.2 1.0
Children not maltreated while in Foster Care 98.8 99.0
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 12,617 12,825

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children Matreated while in Foster Care from Table 2.1 above.

 

3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database FY 1998 & FY 1999)

3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%) 1998 1999
Adoption 16.0 14.9
Guardianship - -
Reunification 70.7 73.1
Other 13.2 11.9
Missing 0.0 0.1
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 4,246 4,178

Pie Chart describing data from Table 3.1 above.

 

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%) 1998 1999
Adoption 34.7 31.0
Guardianship - -
Reunification 50.4 56.5
Other 14.9 12.5
Missing - -
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 845 768

 

3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%) 1998 1999
Adoption 0.2 -
Guardianship - -
Reunification 71.7 73.3
Other 28.0 26.4
Missing 0.1 0.3
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 1,426 1,388

 

3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) 1998 1999
Children age 12 or younger at entry 31.1 30.1
Children older than 12 at entry 68.9 69.3
Missing - 0.6
Total % 100.0 100.0
Number 334 309

 

3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) Alaska Native/A.I. Asian/P.I. Black Hispanic

 

1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999
Adoption - 13.6 - 7.1 19.1 17.2 12.9 12.9
Guardianship - - - - - - - -
Reunification 60.0 77.3 63.2 64.3 68.5 70.4 68.4 71.4
Other 40.0 9.1 36.8 28.6 12.4 12.3 18.7 15.7
Missing - - - - 0.0 0.2 - -
Total % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number 5 22 19 14 2,440 2,371 418 395
  White Unable to Determine Not Applicable Missing

 

1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999
Adoption 13.3 12.8 2.0 5.8 N/A - - -
Guardianship - - - - N/A - - -
Reunification 73.4 76.2 88.9 87.2 N/A - - -
Other 13.3 10.9 9.0 7.0 N/A - - -
Missing - 0.1 - - N/A - - -
Total % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 N/A - - -
Number 1,165 1,119 199 257 - - - -

 

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4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database FY 1998 & FY 1999)

4.1 Time to Reunification (%) 1998 1999
Less than 12 mos. 61.8 61.7
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. 17.0 18.6
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. 8.1 8.1
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. 4.0 3.5
48 or more mos. 6.8 6.8
Missing 2.3 1.2
Total (%) 100.0 100.0
Number 3,004 3,053

Bar chart describing reunification percentages data in Table 4.1 above.

 

4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%) 1998 1999
Children entering care for the first time 77.6 77.2
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode 11.1 12.7
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode 9.6 8.8
Missing 1.8 1.3
Total (%) 100.0 100.0
Number 4,747 4,768

 

Bar chart describing re-entries into Foster Care within 12 months from data in Table 4.2 above.

 

5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database FY 1998 & FY 1999)

5.1 Time to Adoption (%) 1998 1999
Less than 12 mos. 5.4 3.5
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. 10.5 11.6
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. 17.5 19.0
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. 23.0 24.5
48 or more mos. 42.4 39.1
Missing 1.2 2.3
Total (%) 100.0 100.0
Number 679 621

Bar Chart describing Percentage of Adoptions Occurring in Less Than 24 or greater than 48 Months of Entry data from Table 5.1 above

 

6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database FY 1998 & FY 1999)

6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) Year Children With 2 or Fewer Placements Children With 3 or More Placements Missing Placements Total % Number
Less than 12 mos. 1998
1999		 86.5
86.1		 12.4
12.1		 1.1
1.8		 100.0
100.0		 5,300
5,403
At least 12 mos., but <24 mos. 1998
1999		 67.5
69.7		 30.1
28.3		 2.5
2.0		 100.0
100.0		 2,628
2,636
At least 24 mos., but <36 mos. 1998
1999		 59.5
60.6		 38.1
36.6		 2.4
2.8		 100.0
100.0		 1,692
1,809
At least 36 mos., but <48 mos. 1998
1999		 53.3
53.4		 42.5
43.6		 4.1
3.0		 100.0
100.0		 1,329
1,213
48 or more mos. 1998
1999		 44.4
42.5		 53.7
55.0		 1.9
2.5		 100.0
100.0		 2,388
2,538
Missing 1998
1999		 91.5
93.7		 -
1.6		 8.5
4.8		 100.0
100.0		 82
63

 

Bar chart describing foster care placements over time percentages data from Table 6.1 above.

7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database FY 1998 & FY 1999)

7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%) 1998 1999
Group homes 7.0 4.9
Institutions 7.7 7.4
Other settings 84.4 86.9
Missing 0.9 0.8
Total (%) 100.0 100.0
Number 3,082 3,082

 

New Jersey [ State Comments]

 

Charles Venti, Director
Division of Youth and Family Services
Department of Human Services
609-292-6920

 

We have reviewed our state’s data pages in light of our AFCARS and NCANDS data and found there were some minor differences in the counts reported by ACF compared to our data. Staff from our Office of Information Systems spoke with an ACF statistician, and while we cannot duplicate his results, we are in substantial agreement that the counts and percentages accurately represent the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services activity.

 

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