A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT OF THE STATE'S CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PROBLEM TO AID PLANNERS IN DEVELOPING A PROGRAM OF PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND REHABILITATION. STATISTICS SHOWED THAT THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE OF REPORTED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES DURING THIS PERIOD WAS 1,756 PER MILLION POPULATION. THE INCIDENCE RATE VARIED AMONG COUNTIES AS IS SHOWN IN STATISTICAL TABLES. EXPLANATIONS FOR SUCH VARIANCE IN COUNTY CASES INCLUDE AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM, DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES SUCH AS INCOME AND UNEMPLOYMENT, AND URBAN OR RURAL COUNTY CONDITIONS. CHARTS SHOW THE TYPES OF PHYSICAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOUND IN THE STUDY. BRUISES AND WELTS WERE THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF PHYSICAL INJURY FOR ALL AGE GROUPS FROM UNDER 1 TO 18. OVERALL, SUCH INJURIES WERE FOUND IN 43 PERCENT OF THE CASES. INADEQUACY OF SUPERVISION, ENVIRONMENT, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND HYGIENE OCCURED IN 70 PERCENT OF THE NEGLECT CASES. IN 88 PERCENT OF ALL REPORTED CASES, PARENTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABUSING OR NEGLECTING THEIR CHILDREN. OF 1,505 CHILDREN INFLICTED WITH PHYSICAL INJURY FROM JULY 1974 TO JULY 1975, SEVEN DIED. DURING 1976, THE FIGURE INCREASED TO 21, AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS TRIPLED IN THE SUCCEEDING YEAR. MORBIDITIES IN TERMS OF BRAIN DAMAGE, MENTAL RETARDATION, EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE, AND SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT ARE UNKNOWN. KANSAS LAW STATES THAT PROFESSIONALS MUST REPORT SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES. OTHER CONCERNED PARTIES CAN ALSO REPORT SUCH CASES. IT IS EVIDENT THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW IS NOT ABSOLUTE SINCE ONLY ONE IN THREE CASES IS REPORTED. HOWEVER, SINCE 1972 THERE HAS BEEN A DISTURBING INCREASE OF 2,761 PERCENT IN THE REPORTING RATE. CHARTS, TABLES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KCP)