NCJ Number
159834
Date Published
1994
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The authors argue that society's tolerance of violence, especially violence toward children, causes child abuse.
Abstract
Everyone is born with a self-protective mechanism but is not born violent. The tendency to be violent is an acquired attitude, and juvenile violence that leads to adult violence is a learned behavior. Although violence begins with the individual and is not an inherited trait or an ancestral throwback, there are contributing elements that reach beyond the individual. Children who are maltreated may store up their hatred and anger and manifest violent behavior in adulthood. This tradition of violence and abuse continues to be handed down from generation to generation because of society's casual acceptance of violence in general. According to recent studies, children are present in at least 50 percent of homes visited by the police in connection with domestic violence calls. The typical abusive family is characterized by a pattern of isolation from the community, violence, social deviance or criminal behavior, a mother bearing her first child before 20 years of age, poor prenatal care or none, marital conflict, and a record of previous child abuse and neglect. Within limits, it is possible to predict situations in which child abuse is likely to occur. Because violence is becoming more deeply entrenched in society, the authors argue against the use of corporal punishment.