NCJ Number
195037
Date Published
2002
Length
367 pages
Annotation
This text is an introductory level textbook on family violence written from a life-course perspective.
Abstract
The 10 chapters in this introductory level textbook focus on the many different aspects of family violence. The authors examine family violence from a life-course perspective, which means they consider how the phenomenon of family violence varies over the course of one’s life. This approach is a qualitative one that focuses on individuals rather than variables and is concerned with large, macro-level characteristics that affect people’s lives. Chapter one in this text explains the authors’ life-course perspective and how they define family violence. Chapter two focuses on the many research methods that are used to study family violence. An emphasis is placed on methods that privilege the importance of life stages, trajectories, and transitions. Chapter three introduces students to theories of family violence. Most of these theories do not take a life-course perspective, but all the major theories are discussed. The authors attempt to show the reader how a life-course perspective could be integrated into many of these major theories. Chapters four through six examine family violence over the life-course. Chapter four deals with the beginning of the life course; it examines the etiology and effects of child abuse and neglect. Chapter five examines violence between intimate partners while chapter six discusses elder abuse and neglect. Chapters seven through nine analyze the criminal justice system's response to family violence. Chapter seven focuses on the police response to violence as well as how the police relate to other social service agencies that serve victims and perpetrators of family violence. Chapter eight focuses on the court system and how it responds to victims and offenders while chapter nine discusses treatment options available for both victims and perpetrators of family violence. Finally, chapter 10 concludes the text with a summary and discussion of the social problem of family violence. Instructors should note that each chapter concludes with discussion questions for the particular topic under examination. An instructor’s guide to accompany this textbook is also available, see NCJ-195036. Bibliography, index