Analysis of Caretaker Histories in Abuse: Comparing Initial Histories With Subsequent Confessions

• NCJ Number: 215707
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 30 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2006 Pages: 789-798
• Author(s): Emalee G. Flaherty
• Date Published: July 2006
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared the confessions of child abuse perpetrators with their initial generally false accounts of how the child was injured, in order to determine whether any of the truthful statements in the confession were revealed in the initial interview.

Abstract

The perpetrators initially provided no explanation about how 68 percent of the children received their injuries. In 91 percent of the initial accounts provided by the perpetrators, there was some element of truth about the circumstances or triggering event for the abuse. In their initial accounts, abusive mothers were more likely to be truthful about the situation that triggered the abuse. Abusive fathers, in their initial accounts, were more likely to describe accurately the circumstances associated with the abuse. These findings suggest that even perpetrators of abuse who are trying to hide their abusive behavior, will make truthful statements within their initial deceptive accounts of what caused a child's injuries. Interviewers should be aware that these truths are most likely to be in the areas of the child's behavior or the circumstances that increased stress in the perpetrator and triggered the abuse. Such truthful information can help not only in a specific investigation but also in designing child abuse prevention strategies. The study used a sample of perpetrators' confessions and initial accounts of what caused injuries to 41 children whose injuries required hospitalization. The details about the causes and circumstances of the injuries contained in the perpetrators' confessions were compared with the information perpetrators provided when the children initially presented for medical care. The information obtained included the perpetrator's gender and relationship to the child, the victim's age and gender, type of injury, family risk factors, the trigger of the abusive event, the circumstances surrounding the event, and the type of injury. 2 tables and 23 references