This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Dutton, D. G. Articles by Hart, S. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dutton, D. G. Articles by Hart, S. D. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Evidence for Long-Term, Specific Effects of Childhood Abuse and Neglect on Criminal Behavior in Men

University of British Columbia, Department of Psychology, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B. C., Canada V6T 1Z4

Stephen D. Hart

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B. C., Canada

We reviewed the extensive institutional files of 604 male federal inmates to determine the impact of various types of childhood abuse and neglect on violent and aggressive behavior in adulthood. Men who had been abused as children were three times more likely than nonabused men to engage in violent acts as adults. Moreover, specific forms of childhood abuse were associated with specific (and isomorphic) patterns of adult violence; for example, those who were physically abused were most likely to be physically violent, and those who were sexually abused were most likely to be sexually violent. These results are consistent with the cycle of violence hypothesis, which states that those who experience childhood abuse become more likely to abuse others as adults, probably due to vicarious learning through exposure to violent models.

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Vol. 36, No. 2, 129-137 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/0306624X9203600205


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Simons, S. K. Wurtele, and P. Heil Childhood Victimization and Lack of Empathy as Predictors of Sexual Offending Against Women and Children J Interpers Violence, December 1, 2002; 17(12): 1291 - 1307. [Abstract] [PDF]

				I. Lambie, F. Seymour, A. Lee, and P. Adams Resiliency in the Victim-Offender Cycle in Male Sexual Abuse Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, January 1, 2002; 14(1): 31 - 48. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Z. H. RUDO, D. S. POWELL, and G. DUNLAP The Effects of Violence in the Home on Children's Emotional, Behavioral, and Social Functioning: A Review of the Literature Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, January 1, 1998; 6(2): 94 - 113. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. SANTTILA and J. HAAPASALO Neurological and Psychological Risk Factors among Young Homicidal, Violent, and Nonviolent Offenders in Finland Homicide Studies, August 1, 1997; 1(3): 234 - 253. [Abstract]

				K. R. Graham The Childhood Victimization of Sex Offenders: An Underestimated Issue Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol, September 1, 1996; 40(3): 192 - 203. [Abstract]