The legal, administrative and organizational factors of child protective services that have shaped the decisionmaking process of its workers are examined, and data on reports of physical abuse, verbal and emotional maltreatment, sexual abuse, and neglect are analyzed. Findings indicate an unexpectedly high level of recidivism, few changes in sources of reports or types of abuse, substantiation levels have risen for abuse and neglect, and the most important variable in these cases was the time period between the initial report and subsequent investigation. Implications of the findings for public policies are explored focusing on the need for more precise definitions, the issue of rights of parents and children, and the problem of prevention. Topics addressed include child abuse as evidence of social illness, as criminal and as victimization; public welfare; maltreatment reports and investigations; and substantiation of maltreatment, physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional maltreatment and neglect. Tabular data and 471 references.