Unpublished
E. Jason Baron, Christopher Mills, Emily Putnam-Hornstein
Working Paper, 2026 May
Working Paper, 2026 May
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Cite
APA
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Baron, E. J., Mills, C., & Putnam-Hornstein, E. (2026, May). The Intergenerational Persistence of Child Maltreatment. Working Paper.
Chicago/Turabian
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Baron, E. Jason, Christopher Mills, and Emily Putnam-Hornstein. “The Intergenerational Persistence of Child Maltreatment.” Working Paper, May 2026.
MLA
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Baron, E. Jason, et al. “The Intergenerational Persistence of Child Maltreatment.” Working Paper, May 2026.
BibTeX Click to copy
@unpublished{e2026a,
title = {The Intergenerational Persistence of Child Maltreatment},
year = {2026},
month = may,
journal = {Working Paper},
author = {Baron, E. Jason and Mills, Christopher and Putnam-Hornstein, Emily},
month_numeric = {5}
}
Link To Paper
Using administrative data spanning three decades, we study the prevalence, distribution, and intergenerational persistence of child maltreatment, measured through a gradient of Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of CPS-involved children have a parent with prior CPS contact, with involvement concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution. Individuals with substantiated childhood maltreatment are significantly more likely to have children with substantiated maltreatment. We present evidence consistent with a lived-experience transmission channel beyond surveillance, poverty, or genetics alone. Finally, using neighborhood-level data, we provide suggestive evidence that maltreatment may be an important component of intergenerational disadvantage.
Using administrative data spanning three decades, we study the prevalence, distribution, and intergenerational persistence of child maltreatment, measured through a gradient of Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of CPS-involved children have a parent with prior CPS contact, with involvement concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution. Individuals with substantiated childhood maltreatment are significantly more likely to have children with substantiated maltreatment. We present evidence consistent with a lived-experience transmission channel beyond surveillance, poverty, or genetics alone. Finally, using neighborhood-level data, we provide suggestive evidence that maltreatment may be an important component of intergenerational disadvantage.