Child abuse on the rise in Illinios

At a news conference Friday, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and other law enforcement leaders cited the latest statistics. Newly confirmed child abuse cases in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area were up 9 percent from 2007 to 2008.

Law enforcement officials are calling for more resources in an effort to identify at-risk families."

"We are encouraging the state legislature and Governor Quinn to allocate resources to expand the availability of voluntary home visiting...programs that can prevent child abuse and neglect," Alvarez said.

A new poll shows that 82 percent of Illinois' law enforcement leaders think the rise in child abuse cases is directly connected to the stress of the economic crisis.

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