NCJ Number
165975
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1997) Pages: 59-82
Date Published
1997
Length
24 pages
Annotation
A self-report questionnaire designed to assess abusive childhood environments and exposure to animal cruelty was administered to 314 inmates in an Iowa prisoner classification center.
Abstract
In addition to gathering demographic information and information on the history of criminal charges and convictions for the subjects, the questionnaire consisted of two parts: (1) questions on childhood disciplinary histories, abuse-related events, and physical discipline; and (2) childhood experiences with animal cruelty. Although high physical punishment rates characterized the entire sample, persons charged with violent but nonhomicidal crimes reported more severely punitive childhood histories than those charged with homicidal crimes, sex offenses, and nonviolent offenses. Some exposure to animal cruelty was widespread in the sample, but there was no association between experiencing animal cruelty and the type of crime committed. Moreover, only modest associations were observed between animal cruelty experiences and aversive childhood histories. To determine whether the high base rate of exposure to animal cruelty was unique to the incarcerated sample, a followup study was completed with university graduates. Widespread exposure to some animal cruelty was reported by undergraduates. Modest associations were found between reporting animal cruelty and reporting punitive and acrimonious childhood histories. In general, the findings demonstrated an association between punitive childhood histories and antisocial behavior but indicated that exposure to animal cruelty is not significantly related to antisocial behavior or child maltreatment. 60 references, 7 tables, and 5 figures