NCJ Number
149041
Date Published
1994
Length
208 pages
Annotation
Using a quasiexperimental, longitudinal, prospective design, this study examined the effects of child abuse on the early onset of juvenile delinquency using a sample of 477 verified cases in the computerized records of Florida's Department of Children, Youth, and Families and a control group of 220 children matched on racial group, gender, age, and socioeconomic status.
Abstract
The study objective was to assess differences between abused and nonabused children in terms of juvenile delinquency and whether differences varied by racial group, gender, and age. Study findings indicated that abused children had higher delinquency referral rates than control children, and the relation between abuse and delinquency was statistically significant at the 0.038 level. Although significant differences were found between abused and control males, these differences were not statistically significant between females or between males and females. No statistically significant differences were found between abused and nonabused children by racial group, while age was significant at the 0.091 level. Within subgroups of the 477 abused children, severely abused children had marginally significant higher delinquency referral rates than less severely abused children. The author concludes that child abuse and delinquency are related and that gender, race, and age have an effect on the final delinquency outcome. Supplemental information on the study is provided in five appendixes. 164 references, 20 tables, and 4 figures