[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 138 (Wednesday, October 13, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT

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                               speech of

                            HON. JACK QUINN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill. (H.R. 764) to 
     reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend my fellow colleagues for 
their work in passing H.R. 764, the Child Abuse Prevention Act. This 
bill is a step in the right direction toward achieving our ultimate 
goal of eliminating child abuse.
  Mr. Chairman, there are a few provisions currently being debated in 
the conference committee negotiations on H.R. 1501, the juvenile 
justice bill, that will help prevent child abuse and neglect. The first 
provision is the Parenting as Prevention Program. This program would 
provide parenting support and education centers to promote early brain 
development, child development and education.
  The second provision that deserves our complete support is the 
Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant, of which 25% is 
specifically reserved for prevention activities. This grant program 
would ensure that adequate resources are available for efforts aimed at 
preventing juvenile delinquency, including programs that prevent child 
abuse and neglect.
  Numerous studies have concluded that there is a direct link between 
child abuse and a later onset of criminal activity as a juvenile. In 
fact, in one of the most detailed studies on this issue, the National 
Institute of Justice concluded that being abused or neglected as a 
child increased the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 59%. 
Therefore, we must invest in programs that help to reduce child abuse.
  In my home state of New York, a fifteen year study of a nursing home 
visitation program reported that state-verified cases of child abuse 
and neglect were reduced by 79% among program participants. 
Furthermore, youths whose mothers participated in the program were 55% 
less likely to be arrested.
  Mr. Chairman, as we debate juvenile crime, our primary focus should 
be on child abuse. I urge all of my colleagues to support these 
provisions that are put forth in the juvenile justice bill.

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