This book is a collective effort to increase the understanding of forces and conditions in our society which violate the development of children and the free unfolding of human potential. The maltreatment of children has come to be considered a social problem of significant scope. Yet in spite of professional efforts, clarity continues to elude us concerning the sources and dynamics of these destructive phenomena, and concerning effective approaches toward their reduction and prevention. This volume reviews some persistent obstacles which tend to cause serious gaps in our comprehension of social problems, and in our ability to design, adopt, and implement effective policies and programs toward their elimination. -- from Introduction.