Oklahoma

CSI will launch in Oklahoma, a state with one of the highest child abuse and neglect rates in the U.S. This section references 2022 data to maintain consistency with national reports and ensure comparability across datasets.

Child Safety in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has one of the highest confirmed child abuse and neglect victimization rates in the nation. In 2022, 14.2 out of every 1,000 children in Oklahoma were confirmed victims of maltreatment—nearly double the U.S. national average of 7.7 per 1,000 (1). This means Oklahoma’s rate of child maltreatment is roughly twice the nationwide rate.

Why Oklahoma?

Centralized Hotline and Open Reporting Format

• Oklahoma is one of 14 states with a centralized child abuse hotline, where reports are submitted through a single state-run system (phone, fax, or email). Uniquely, Oklahoma allows written reports via email with no required format, leading to unstructured and/or incomplete reporting.

A High National Ranking for Maltreatment

• Oklahoma ranks 45th out of 50 states in child maltreatment incidence—where 50th represents the highest rate (2). Only a few states had higher maltreatment rates than Oklahoma.

The Scale of the Problem

• 13,546 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect in Oklahoma (2022) (3).

• Although this reflects an 11.8% decrease in confirmed cases since 2018 (4). Oklahoma’s rate remains significantly above the national average.

What Drives Oklahoma’s High Maltreatment Rates?

Multiple socio-economic and systemic factors contribute to Oklahoma’s elevated risk for child abuse and neglect:

High Poverty Rates

• 1 in 5 children (21%) in Oklahoma lives in poverty (about 21%) (5).

• Economic hardship is strongly linked to child maltreatment, particularly neglect—which accounts for 78% of confirmed cases (6).

• Poverty increases family stress and limits access to basic necessities, leading to neglect reports that might stem from financial hardship rather than willful harm (7, 8).

Housing Instability

• 25% of Oklahoma children live in households with a high housing cost burden (spending a large share of income on rent) (9).

• Oklahoma has above-average rates of eviction and rent delinquency (10), creating unstable living conditions.

• Housing instability correlates with higher child maltreatment risk, as families facing eviction, overcrowding, or utility shut-offs are more likely to be reported for neglect (11, 12).

Limited Access to Family Support Services

• A state child abuse prevention plan identified gaps in essential services, including affordable childcare, mental health care, and family support programs (13).

• Lack of access to these resources increases stress on caregivers, which is a known risk factor for abuse and neglect (14).

• Rural areas, in particular, struggle with service availability.

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Challenges

• In 2022, over 2,300 infants in Oklahoma were born with prenatal substance exposure (15).

• Parental substance abuse reduces caregiving capacity and often co-occurs with economic hardship, further increasing the risk of child maltreatment.

• Oklahoma has historically high rates of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—such as domestic violence and caregiver incarceration—contributing to generational cycles of abuse (16).

Why Oklahoma is the Right Place to Start

Oklahoma’s high child maltreatment rates, centralized reporting system, and lack of structured reporting formats make it an ideal launch site for CSI. Addressing systemic gaps at the state level can provide a model for improving child safety nationwide.