THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT HAS ALWAYS EXISTED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, BUT FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WILLING TO INTERFERE WITH HOW PARENTS RAISE THEIR CHILDREN. IN MANY CASES, PHYSICIANS, HOSPITAL PERSONNEL, TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND POLICE OFFICERS HAVE IGNORED EVEN OBVIOUS CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN ORDER TO STAY OUT OF FAMILY MATTERS. SINCE THE 1960'S, HOWEVER, THE BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A DISEASE REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSING PARENTS IS THAT ALMOST ALL WERE ABUSED THEMSELVES AS CHILDREN. ABUSING PARENTS ALSO TEND TO BE LONELY AND ISOLATED AND SHUN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS. DISAPPOINTMENT IN MARRIAGE SOMETIMES DRIVES POTENTIALLY ABUSIVE PARENTS TO WANT A CHILD AS THE LAST DESPERATE HOPE FOR HAPPINESS, AND THE CHILD OFTEN BECOMES A VICTIM OF THE MEMORIES AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PARENTS. ABUSED CHILDREN ARE FREQUENTLY LABELED BY PARENTS AS RETARDED, BAD, OR SELFISH. RESPONDING TO NEITHER PRAISE NOR DISCIPLINE, THESE CHILDREN OFTEN BECOME VIOLENT TOWARD OTHERS. REPORTING LAWS HAVE BEEN ENACTED TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. A SURVEY BY THE AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION INDICATES THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS ROSE FROM 294,796 IN 1975 TO 357,533 IN 1976. JUVENILE COURTS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT AND REHABILITATE MINORS. MANY COMMUNITIES, HOWEVER, LACK PROGRAMS TO TREAT AND STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY UNIT THROUGH JUVENILE COURTS. ESTABLISHED WAYS OF TREATING AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE ARE PROGRAMS FUNDED UNDER THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT PASSED BY CONGRESS IN 1974 AND PARENTS ANONYMOUS. DISCUSSION AND WRITING ACTIVITIES TO EXPLORE CHILD ABUSE SITUATIONS ARE LISTED. (DEP)