NCJ Number
138467
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (July/August 1992) Pages: 523-531
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the extent to which a sample of juvenile delinquents would be forthcoming in their retrospective reporting of abuse as well as the types of inquiries most effective in eliciting accurate information.
Abstract
The original sample consisted of 97 delinquent boys incarcerated in the only juvenile correctional facility in Connecticut. At that time data on abuse was obtained from several sources, including interviews conducted by the neurologist and psychiatrist on the research team, as well as from previous educational, psychiatric, medical, court, and social service records. At the time of followup, clinical data were obtained on 75 former delinquents through contact with subjects or a relative. Of these, 66 subjects participated in an extensive interview. The current study is based on an analysis of these 66 interviews. Interviews consisted of questions about maltreatment, about caretakers' temperament, about medical history, about instruments and methods of punishment, and about maltreatment at placements outside the home. Of the 66 subjects who participated in the interviews and responded to interview questions, 67 percent reported some abuse, including nine cases that had not been documented in early data. The conflicts that underlie denial or minimization of abuse are discussed in this article, along with interviewing strategies for overcoming them. 1 table and 15 references