It contains nontechnical descriptions of the study design and methodology and presents the national estimates of the incidence of abused and neglected children, the nature and severity of their maltreatment and its distribution by various demographic factors, the sources who recognized their maltreatment, and the proportions of these children who were reported to and investigated by child protective service agencies. The NIS-3 findings are based on a nationally representative sample of more than 5,600 professionals in 842 agencies that serve 42 counties. The study used two sets of standardized definitions of abuse and neglect. Under the Harm Standard, children identified to the study were considered to be maltreated only if they had already experienced harm from abuse or neglect. Under the Endangerment Standard, children who experienced abuse or neglect that put them at risk of harm were included in the set of those considered to be maltreated, together with the already-harmed children. Findings show that there have been substantial increases in the incidence of child abuse and neglect since the last national incidence study was conducted in 1986. Under the Harm Standard definitions, the number of abused and neglected children was two-thirds higher in the NIS-3 than in the NIS-2. Under the Endangerment Standard, the number of abused and neglected children nearly doubled from 1986 to 1993. Physical abuse nearly doubled; sexual abuse more than doubled; and emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect were all more than two-and-one-half times their NIS-2 levels. Extensive tables, figures, and exhibits