A survival analysis of the revictimization of children: the case of Colorado.

This paper reports the results of a survival analysis of patterns of revictimization of children with records of confirmed cases of maltreatment in Colorado during the 4-year period 1986-1989. The study examined the cases of 24,507 children in that state's Child Abuse and Neglect Registry for evidence of their revictimization. Hazard rates for repeat offenses were highest immediately after the initial incident of abuse or neglect. Risk of revictimization was greater for younger children and for females, but those relationships were strongly mediated by the form of maltreatment. The rate of revictimization of physically neglected children exceeded that for other major types of maltreatment. Although abused and neglected children were most at risk immediately after their incident of abuse or neglect, they remained at greater risk of mistreatment for years thereafter.