Includes bibliographical references (p. 170-174) and index.

1. Is child abuse a serious problem? -- Child abuse in the United States is a serious problem / National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information -- Trafficking in children is a serious problem / Carla Power, Liat Radcliffe, Karen MacGregor -- Internet child pornography is a growing problem / Ron Scherer -- The Catholic Church routinely ignores child sexual abuse by clergy / Edd Doerr -- False allegations of child sexual abuse are common / Dean Tong -- Doctors can misdiagnose child abuse / Celeste Biever -- The extent of Internet child pornography has been exaggerated / Computer Crime Research Center -- Most priests do not abuse children / B.A. Robinson --

2. What factors contribute to child abuse? -- Overview : the factors that contribute to child abuse / Mei Ling Rein -- Some minority cultural practices qualify as child abuse / Eleanor T. Campbell -- Methamphetamine labs can lead to child endangerment / Jerry Harris -- Religion can inspire child abuse / Narisetti Innaiah -- Family preservation policies exacerbate child abuse / Anna Gorman --

3. How can society reduce child abuse? -- Fighting poverty would reduce child abuse / Carlos I. Uresti -- Better support for child welfare workers can reduce child abuse / Jess McDonald, Mary Bissell -- Tougher adoption laws are needed to thwart Internet baby sales / Ian Lamming -- Teen parenting classes could reduce child abuse / Catherine Roberts, Clara Wolman, Judy Harris-Lobby -- Prospective parents should be licensed / Peg Tittle -- Funding for child abuse prevention programs must be increased / Ross E. Cheit, Jennifer Freyd -- Individuals can help reduce child abuse and neglect / National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information --

4. Will changes in the criminal justice system help prevent child abuse? -- Tougher laws will help prevent child abuse / George W. Bush -- Giving lie detector tests to pedophiles can help prevent child abuse / Barry Nelson -- Unified family courts would help prevent child abuse / Melinda Melendez -- Laws creating pedophile-free zones would help prevent child abuse / Traditional Values Coalition Education and Legal Institute -- Tougher sex-offender laws may be counterproductive / Jason McBride -- Lie detector tests for pedophiles are not reliable / David Lykken -- Women should not be prosecuted for fetal abuse / Austin Reed Cline -- Organizations to contact.