ALTHOUGH THE BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME HAS ATTRACTED CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION SINCE DR. KEMPE COINED THE TERM IN 1962, THE PHENOMENON IS ANCIENT. IN FACT, MANY OLDER CULTURES HAVE CONDONED ABUSE IN SUCH FORMS AS INFANT EXPOSURE AND SACRIFICE, BINDING, CASTRATION, SERVITUDE, AND ABANDONMENT. THE INCREASED PUBLIC, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOCIAL WORK, MENTAL HEALTH, AND MEDICAL CONCERN WITH ABUSE IN THE U.S. ARISES PARTLY FROM A SHIFT AWAY FROM EARLIER AMERICAN BELIEFS THAT CHILDREN WERE PROPERTY OF THEIR PARENTS. THE CONCERN HAS CAUSED ALL 50 STATES TO ENACT CHILD ABUSE REPORTING STATUTES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PASS THE 1974 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT AND TO CREATE THE NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE LEGISLATION HAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY STEMMED THE INCIDENCE OF ABUSE, NOW ESTIMATED AT FROM 60,000 TO OVER 1 MILLION OCCURRENCES ANNUALLY. VAGUE AND NONUNIFORM DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WHICH RESTRICT THE INFLUENCE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION HAVE BOTH BEEN HELD RESPONSIBLE. CHILD ABUSE DOES, HOWEVER, SHOW SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS COMMON IN THE ABUSERS, THE VICTIMS, AND THE FAMILY SITUATIONS. ABUSERS ARE OFTEN YOUNG MOTHERS WHO WERE THEMSELVES ABUSED AS CHILDREN, ARE ISOLATED FROM SUPPORT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND ARE RELUCTANT TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN IN FOR ROUTINE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE. THE VICTIMIZED CHILD OFTEN CARRIES THE MARKS OF ABUSE, POSSIBLY UNDER HEAVY AND CONCEALING CLOTHING, IS WARY OF PHYSICAL CONTACT, AND IS UNDULY AFRAID OF HIS PARENTS. SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF ABUSE REQUIRES, ABOVE ALL, CONTINUED RESEARCH. THE OVERVIEW IS FOLLOWED BY A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 78 WORKS ON NEGLECT AND ABUSE COVERING A PERIOD FROM 1973 TO 1978 AND CONTAINING ABSTRACTS OF ALL ENTRIES PLUS BIBLIOGRAPHIC AND ORDERING INFORMATION. REFERENCES TO THE OVERVIEW ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES LIST SOURCES, RESOURCE AGENCIES, AND CHILD ABUSE LEGISLATION.