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COST EFFECTIVENESS OF CASA
Americans pay an estimated $6.1 billion a year in taxes to care for children in foster care, but the cost in human potential is even greater.
In addition to potentially saving the public millions of tax dollars in child support, CASA volunteers also donate hours of time towards helping the court systems function more efficiently. In 1993, CASA volunteers worked an average of 88 hours per year. If they had been paid $50 an hour (the rate usually paid to attorneys to do the job), that translates to $162 million worth of advocacy for children. By engaging volunteer citizens, the community participates with our social and justice systems in finding solutions and preventative methods.
NATIONAL CASA STATISTICS
38,000 CASA/GAL volunteers.
An estimated 129,000 children served every year.
642 CASA/GAL programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virign Islands.
38 state organziations.
New programs are established at an average of two per month.
FOSTER CARE
The American Public Welfare Association (APWA) estimates the number of children in foster care increased from 285,000 in 1987 to 460,000 in 1992 - a 61% jump in five years.
Currently six out of every 1,000 children in the United States under the age of 18 are in foster care.
HHS STATISTICS
In 1993, there were 2.9 million reports of alleged child abuse and neglect - 7,945 reports each day.
Of these, over 1,018,692 were substantiated and/or indicted as victims of maltreatment.
Of the total number of reported incidents or maltreatment of children:
U.S ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 1995 REPORT
According to the U.S. Advisory Board, at least 2,000 children a year (or five children every day) die at the hands of their parents or caretakers.
More children die at the hands of their parents than from falls, choking on food, suffocation, drowning or residential fires. More children die from abuse and neglect in the home then from gunfire in the streets.
Head trauma is the leading cause of child abuse fatalities; Shaken Baby syndrome is so lethal that 20% - 25% of its victims die and most survivors suffer brain damage.
Near fatal abuse and neglect leaves 18,000 children permanately disabled each year, and 142,000 are seriously injured from severe abuse that did not kill them. 
Society
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