In the 1990's, a dramatic shift occurred in sexual abuse trends in the United States, from a steady increase of child sexual abuse cases in the 1980's to a substantial decrease in sexual abuse from 1992 to 1999. The decrease was estimated at 39 percent. However, the reason for the significant decline was unclear. To better understand what had occurred, a telephone interview/survey was conducted with child protection service (CPS) administrators from 43 States. This was an initial step in attempting to understand the possible reasons behind the sexual abuse decline. The decline in identified cases of sexual abuse did not appear to be just an extension of a general declining trend in overall child maltreatment. Responses from the CPS administrators were divided into three general categories: (1) a real decline; (2) changes in reporting behaviors; and (3) changes in CPS policies and procedures. A diverse array of possible causes for the decline in sexual abuse were cited by State officials and included: (1) increased evidentiary requirements to substantiate cases; (2) increased caseworker caution due to new legal rights for caregivers; and (3) increased limitations on the types of cases that agencies accept for investigation. When respondents were asked whether they thought that the decline in cases was caused by a decline in the incidence of sexual abuse, over half said, “no.” However, policymakers and those responsible for the data systems themselves had been paying little attention to the decline that was occurring. The results suggest that additional discussion and increased analysis of child maltreatment system data are important next steps. References