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The Cycle of Violence: Revisited 6 Years Later

The Cycle of Violence: Revisited 6 Years Later Abstract Objective: To assess the long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on delinquency, adult criminality, and violent criminal behavior. Design: Prospective cohorts design that matched cases of abuse and neglect with those of controls. Follow-up data collection at 22 to 26 years following abuse or neglect. Setting: A metropolitan area in the Midwest. Participants: Substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect identified from court records that were obtained from 1967 through 1971 (n=908). Comparison group matched on the date of birth, race, sex, and approximate social class (n=667). The current mean age was 32.5 years. Main Outcome Measures: Official arrest records for nontraffic and violent crimes collected from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies through mid-1994. Results: Childhood victims of abuse or neglect were more likely than controls to have a juvenile or adult arrest for any nontraffic offense (49% vs 38%) and for a violent crime (18% vs 14%). Victims of physical abuse and neglected children were more likely to be arrested for violence (odds ratios: 1.9 and 1.6, respectively), after controlling for age, race, and sex. Conclusions: Childhood abuse and neglect have a significant impact on the likelihood of arrest for delinquency, adult criminality, and violence. By the age of 32 years, almost half of the victims of abuse and neglect were arrested for a nontraffic offense. By responding to incidents of child abuse and neglect, health care professionals can play an important role in preventing future violence. More attention must be paid to childhood victims of neglect and to differences in the consequences of abuse and neglect by gender and race or ethnicity.(Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1996;150:390-395) References 1. National Research Council. Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect . Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1993. 2. National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect. National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System: Working Paper 1: 1990 Summary Data Component . Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1992. 3. Kempe CH, Silverman FN, Steele B, Droegemueller W, Silver HR. The battered-child syndrome . JAMA . 1962;181:17-24.Crossref 4. Widom CS. Does violence beget violence? a critical examination of the literature . Psychol Bull . 1989;106:3-28.Crossref 5. Widom CS. The cycle of violence . Science . 1989;244:160-166.Crossref 6. Zingraff MT, Leiter J, Myers KA, Johnsen MC. Child maltreatment and youthful problem behavior . Criminology . 1993;31:173-202.Crossref 7. Rivera B, Widom CS. Childhood victimization and violent offending . Violence Vict . 1990;5:19-35. 8. Alfaro JD. Report on the relationship between child abuse and neglect and later socially deviant behavior . In: Hunner RJ, Walker YE, eds. Exploring the Relationship Between Child Abuse and Deliquency . Montclair, NJ: Allanheld Osmun & Co; 1981:175-219. 9. Gutierres S, Reich JA. A developmental perspective on runaway behavior: its relationship to child abuse . Child Welfare . 1981;60:89-94. 10. Lewis DO, Moy E, Jackson LD, et al. Biopsychological characteristics of children who later murder: a prospective study . Am J Psychiatry . 1985;142:1161-1167. 11. Blumstein A, Cohen J, Roth JA, Visher CA, eds. Criminal Careers and 'Career Criminals.' Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1986. 12. Widom CS. Child abuse, neglect, and adult behavior: research design and findings on criminality, violence, and child abuse . Am J Orthopsychiatry . 1989; 59:355-367.Crossref 13. Schulsinger F, Mednick SA, Knop J. Longitudinal Research: Methods and Use in Behavioral Sciences . Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers; 1981. 14. Leventhal J. Research strategies and methodologic standards in studies of risk factors for child abuse . Child Abuse Negl . 1982;6:113-123.Crossref 15. Maxfield MG, Babbie E. Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology . Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Publishing Co; 1995. 16. Geerken MR. Rap sheets in criminological research: considerations and caveats . J Quant Criminol . 1994;10:3-21.Crossref 17. Vera Institute. Felony Arrests . Revised ed. New York, NY: Longman Inc; 1981. 18. Wolfgang ME, Figlio RM. Sellin T. Delinquency in a Birth Cohort . Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press: 1972. 19. Weis JG. Issues in the measurement of criminal careers . In: Blumstein A, Cohen J, Roth JA, Visher CA, eds. Criminal Careers and 'Career Criminals.' Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1986;2:1-51. 20. Malinosky-Rummell R, Hansen DJ. Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse . Psychol Bull . 1993;114:68-79.Crossref 21. Sedlak AJ. Technical Amendments to the Study Findings—National Incidence and Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect [NIS-2] 1988 . Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1990. 22. Moore MH, Prothrow-Stith D, Guyer B, Spivak H. Violence and intentional injuries: criminal justice and public health perspectives on an urgent national problem . In: Reiss AJ Jr, Roth JA, eds. Understanding and Preventing Violence: Consequences and Control . Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1994;4:167-216. 23. Burgess RL, Conger RD. Family interaction in abusive, neglectful, and normal families . Child Dev . 1978;49:1163-1173.Crossref 24. McCord J. A forty-year perspective on effects of child abuse and neglect . Child Abuse Negl . 1983;7:265-270.Crossref 25. Bousha DM, Twentyman CT. Mother-child interactional style in abuse, neglect, and control groups . J Abnorm Psychol . 1984;93:106-114.Crossref 26. Widom CS. Sampling biases and implications for child abuse research . Am J Orthopsychiatry . 1988;58:260-270.Crossref 27. Collins JJ, Zawitz MW. Federal Drug Data for National Policy . Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics; 1990. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine American Medical Association

The Cycle of Violence: Revisited 6 Years Later

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References (27)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
1072-4710
eISSN
1538-3628
DOI
10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170290056009
Publisher site
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Abstract

Abstract Objective: To assess the long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on delinquency, adult criminality, and violent criminal behavior. Design: Prospective cohorts design that matched cases of abuse and neglect with those of controls. Follow-up data collection at 22 to 26 years following abuse or neglect. Setting: A metropolitan area in the Midwest. Participants: Substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect identified from court records that were obtained from 1967 through 1971 (n=908). Comparison group matched on the date of birth, race, sex, and approximate social class (n=667). The current mean age was 32.5 years. Main Outcome Measures: Official arrest records for nontraffic and violent crimes collected from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies through mid-1994. Results: Childhood victims of abuse or neglect were more likely than controls to have a juvenile or adult arrest for any nontraffic offense (49% vs 38%) and for a violent crime (18% vs 14%). Victims of physical abuse and neglected children were more likely to be arrested for violence (odds ratios: 1.9 and 1.6, respectively), after controlling for age, race, and sex. Conclusions: Childhood abuse and neglect have a significant impact on the likelihood of arrest for delinquency, adult criminality, and violence. By the age of 32 years, almost half of the victims of abuse and neglect were arrested for a nontraffic offense. By responding to incidents of child abuse and neglect, health care professionals can play an important role in preventing future violence. More attention must be paid to childhood victims of neglect and to differences in the consequences of abuse and neglect by gender and race or ethnicity.(Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1996;150:390-395) References 1. National Research Council. Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect . Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1993. 2. National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect. National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System: Working Paper 1: 1990 Summary Data Component . Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1992. 3. Kempe CH, Silverman FN, Steele B, Droegemueller W, Silver HR. The battered-child syndrome . JAMA . 1962;181:17-24.Crossref 4. Widom CS. Does violence beget violence? a critical examination of the literature . Psychol Bull . 1989;106:3-28.Crossref 5. Widom CS. The cycle of violence . Science . 1989;244:160-166.Crossref 6. Zingraff MT, Leiter J, Myers KA, Johnsen MC. Child maltreatment and youthful problem behavior . Criminology . 1993;31:173-202.Crossref 7. Rivera B, Widom CS. Childhood victimization and violent offending . Violence Vict . 1990;5:19-35. 8. Alfaro JD. Report on the relationship between child abuse and neglect and later socially deviant behavior . In: Hunner RJ, Walker YE, eds. Exploring the Relationship Between Child Abuse and Deliquency . Montclair, NJ: Allanheld Osmun & Co; 1981:175-219. 9. Gutierres S, Reich JA. A developmental perspective on runaway behavior: its relationship to child abuse . Child Welfare . 1981;60:89-94. 10. Lewis DO, Moy E, Jackson LD, et al. Biopsychological characteristics of children who later murder: a prospective study . Am J Psychiatry . 1985;142:1161-1167. 11. Blumstein A, Cohen J, Roth JA, Visher CA, eds. Criminal Careers and 'Career Criminals.' Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1986. 12. Widom CS. Child abuse, neglect, and adult behavior: research design and findings on criminality, violence, and child abuse . Am J Orthopsychiatry . 1989; 59:355-367.Crossref 13. Schulsinger F, Mednick SA, Knop J. Longitudinal Research: Methods and Use in Behavioral Sciences . Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers; 1981. 14. Leventhal J. Research strategies and methodologic standards in studies of risk factors for child abuse . Child Abuse Negl . 1982;6:113-123.Crossref 15. Maxfield MG, Babbie E. Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology . Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Publishing Co; 1995. 16. Geerken MR. Rap sheets in criminological research: considerations and caveats . J Quant Criminol . 1994;10:3-21.Crossref 17. Vera Institute. Felony Arrests . Revised ed. New York, NY: Longman Inc; 1981. 18. Wolfgang ME, Figlio RM. Sellin T. Delinquency in a Birth Cohort . Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press: 1972. 19. Weis JG. Issues in the measurement of criminal careers . In: Blumstein A, Cohen J, Roth JA, Visher CA, eds. Criminal Careers and 'Career Criminals.' Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1986;2:1-51. 20. Malinosky-Rummell R, Hansen DJ. Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse . Psychol Bull . 1993;114:68-79.Crossref 21. Sedlak AJ. Technical Amendments to the Study Findings—National Incidence and Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect [NIS-2] 1988 . Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1990. 22. Moore MH, Prothrow-Stith D, Guyer B, Spivak H. Violence and intentional injuries: criminal justice and public health perspectives on an urgent national problem . In: Reiss AJ Jr, Roth JA, eds. Understanding and Preventing Violence: Consequences and Control . Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1994;4:167-216. 23. Burgess RL, Conger RD. Family interaction in abusive, neglectful, and normal families . Child Dev . 1978;49:1163-1173.Crossref 24. McCord J. A forty-year perspective on effects of child abuse and neglect . Child Abuse Negl . 1983;7:265-270.Crossref 25. Bousha DM, Twentyman CT. Mother-child interactional style in abuse, neglect, and control groups . J Abnorm Psychol . 1984;93:106-114.Crossref 26. Widom CS. Sampling biases and implications for child abuse research . Am J Orthopsychiatry . 1988;58:260-270.Crossref 27. Collins JJ, Zawitz MW. Federal Drug Data for National Policy . Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics; 1990.

Journal

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine – American Medical Association

Published: Apr 1, 1996

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