FOLLOWING AN OVERVIEW OF THE DYNAMICS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN THE UNITED STATES, DECISIONMAKING IN JUVENILE COURT, AND THE LEGAL CONTEXT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, SUBSEQUENT SECTIONS EXAMINE THE ROLE OF CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCIES, THE COMMENCEMENT OF FORMAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT PROCEEDINGS, MEDICAL AND RELATED ASPECTS OF PROVING CHILD MALTREATMENT, DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES, AND THE USE OF PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE ADVOCACY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILD AND PARENT. PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION, THE PURPOSE OF CASE INVESTIGATION, WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CHILD PROTECTIVE INQUIRY, FILING INITIAL REPORTS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, METHODS OF GATHERING INFORMATION, SOCIAL ASSESSMENTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES, TREATMENT, AND CASE MONITORING. SELECTIONS ON PROVING CHILD MISTREATMENT DEAL WITH THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, BEHAVIOR AND PHYSICAL INDICATORS, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSING FAMILIES, EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT, INTRAFAMILY SEXUAL ABUSE, THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER IN COURT, AND TRIAL ISSUES IN CHILD ABUSE CASES. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE ARTICLES ON THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF REPORTING KNOWN AND SUSPECTED CASES OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE HISTORY OF SOCIETY'S INHUMANE ATTITUDE TOWARD CHILDREN, AND THE EXPANDING RIGHT OF MINORS TO TREATMENT. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL SELECTIONS. FOR SELECTED READINGS, SEE NCJ 56314-56320. (KBL)