Child Abuse, Neglect, and Adult Behavior: Research Design and Findings on Criminality, Violence, and Child Abuse

• NCJ Number: 120866
• Author(s): C S Widom
• Date Published: January 1989
• Length: 13 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

A large sample of physical and sexual abuse cases was compared to a matched control group using a prospective cohorts design.

Abstract

Overall, while abused and neglected subjects did not have higher rates of adult arrests for child abuse and neglect, they did display a higher rate of adult criminality and arrests for violent offenses than the control subjects. Findings are discussed in relation to intergenerational transmission of violence, and future research studies into the complex causal relationship between childhood victimization and adult criminal behavior are recommended. 2 figures, 4 tables, 35 references. (Author abstract modified)