Individual sections describe the historical background and data collection procedures for the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, the main findings of analyses of State data, the pilot test of the Detailed Case Data Component of the database, and strategies for gathering and analyzing data in the next few years. The results reveal that nearly 1.9 million reports were received and referred for investigation on approximately 2.9 million children who were allegedly abused or neglected. Fifty-four percent of the 1.6 investigations indicated that the allegations were not substantiated; 41 percent were substantiated or indicated; the 5 percent were closed without a finding or other dispositions. Forty-nine percent of the substantiated or indicated child victims suffered from neglect, 23 percent from physical abuse, 14 percent from sexual abuse, 5 percent from emotional maltreatment, 3 percent from medical neglect, and 9 percent from other kinds of maltreatment. Figures and appended tables and State-by-State program information