NCJ Number
25850
Date Published
1975
Length
225 pages
Annotation
CASE HISTORIES AND ANECDOTES ARE PRESENTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE CHILD ABUSE PROBLEM IN THE U.S., AS WELL AS ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETY.
Abstract
THE THESIS OF THE BOOK IS THAT CHILD ABUSE IS A SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNINGS OF HISTORY. EVERY SOCIETY HAS HAD A POLICY, IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT, FOR DEALING WITH MOUTHS IT COULDN'T FEED; INFANTICIDE HAS OFTEN BEEN PRACTICED. PARTICULARLY IN RECENT MODREN HISTORY, SOCIETIES HAVE HAD POLICIES FOR DEALING WITH THE CHILDREN OF THE POOR. IN ORDER TO MAKE SERIOUS EFFORTS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE, IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK AT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN THE CONTEXT OF A VIOLENT SOCIETY THAT SANCTIONS SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL NEGLECT. PRACTICES OF ANCIENT SOCIETIES REGARDING THE TORTURE, SACRIFICE, OR OTHER VIOLENCE TOWARD CHILDREN ARE DESCRIBED. THE GREAT VARIETY IN DIFFERENT CULTURES' ATTITUDES TOWARD CHILDREN IS ALSO EXAMINED. THE ORIGINS OF WESTERN SOCIETY'S CONCEPTION OF CHILDREN AS A SEPARATE SUBGROUP FROM ADULTS, AS WELL AS AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POOR AND MINORITIES, ARE TRACED. DISCRIMINATION BY AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS--SCHOOLS, JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AND SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES -- AGAINST YOUTHS, PARTICULARLY POOR MINORITY YOUTHS, IS DISCUSSED. CASES OF CHILD ABUSE BY THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE ALSO RECORDED. HISTORICAL EVENTS, PARTICULARY INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANIZATION, WHICH HAVE ACTED TO INCREASE THE INCIDENCE OF CHILD EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN MODERN SOCIETY ARE EXAMINED. ONE SPECIFIC CASE OF ABUSE, IN WHICH A 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD WAS MURDERED BY HER STEPFATHER WHILE HER DRUG ADDICT MOTHER LOOKED ON, EVEN THOUGH THE PARENTS WERE BEING 'HELPED' BY PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS AT THE TIME, IS EXAMINED IN DETAIL, WITH ALL OF ITS REPERCUSSIONS FOR THE FAMILY COURT AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM. ONE CHAPTER EXAMINES THE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OF SUCH PEOPLE AS CHARLES MANSON AND JACK RUBY. MANY CASES ARE DESCRIBED OF VIOLENT ADULTS WHO HAD BEEN ABUSED AS CHILDREN OR WHO HAD EXHIBITED VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AS JUVENILES, BUT WHO HAD RECEIVED NO HELP FROM AMERICAN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS. STATISTICS ABOUT THE INCIDENCE OF ABUSE, PROFILES OF ABUSING PARENTS, FAMILY INCOME, AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE PROBLEM ARE PRESENTED. AN ANALYSIS OF THE TYPES OF PARENTS WHO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN AND CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM ARE EXAMINED, AND THE AUTHOR SUMMARIZES HER CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE SOCIETY WHICH PRODUCES SUCH ABUSE. NOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (VDA)