Child abuse by parents or other caretakers has existed for thousands of years. In fact, child physical and sexual abuse were more the norm than the exception during much of history. Changing perceptions, attitudes, and laws have developed in recent decades in the United States, particularly in the 1980's. Today, law enforcement must recognize the protection of the child victim as one of its most important roles. It must also recognize the importance of multidisciplinary approaches. Therefore, existing child maltreatment programs and processes need to be critically examined. Those that fail to achieve predetermined goals should be abandoned, regardless of how well entrenched they are in the community. They should be replaced with programs and processes that acknowledge the fragile nature and rights of children, do more to focus on the offender, and fully use existing community resources through private/public partnerships. Children who must testify in court should be able to use videotaped statements, anatomically correct dolls, and comfortable courtroom settings. The public should be excluded from some parts of the hearing, and the media should not print the child's name. To reduce the overall rate of child maltreatment, interagency and interdisciplinary cooperation and education of the public will both be required.