CHILD ABUSE IS DEFINED IN VIEW OF THE HISTORY OF CHILD CARE. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILDREN AND THE TRAITS OF ABUSING PARENTS ARE DESCRIBED. THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABUSE--PHYSICAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL NEGLECT, AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT--ARE DISCUSSED. THE ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, AND EXPRESSION OF ABUSIVE AND NEGLECTFUL BEHAVIOR IS DESCRIBED IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS. PSYCHIATRIC CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHIATRIC INSIGHTS INTO HUMAN BEHAVIOR ARE USED TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK THROUGH WHICH THE PROBLEM OF CHILD MALTREATMENT CAN BE APPROACHED, UNDERSTOOD, AND POSSIBLY ALLEVIATED. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSING PARENTS INCLUDE IMMATURITY, EXTREMELY LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND A SENSE OF INCOMPETENCE, DIFFICULTY IN SEEKING PLEASURE AND FINDING SATISFACTION IN THE ADULT WORLD, SOCIAL ISOLATION, MISPERCEPTIONS OF THE CHILD, FEAR OF SPOILING CHILDREN, AND LACK OF ABILITY TO BE EMPATHICALLY AWARE OF A CHILD'S NEEDS. THE TWO VIEWS OF CASE MANAGEMENT--THE PUNITIVE APPROACH AND THE THERAPEUTIC APPROACH ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE FINAL CHAPTER. IN VIEW OF THE SHIFT FROM THE PUNITIVE TO THE THERAPEUTIC APPROACH, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF ABUSING PARENTS ARE NOW REGARDED AS THE BEST MEANS OF PROTECTING ENDANGERED CHILDREN. CONSEQUENTLY, THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN RECENT YEARS USE SOCIAL WORKERS RATHER THAN POLICE TO INVESTIGATE MOST REPORTS OF MALTREATMENT. THREE TABLES, REFERENCES, AND AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED.