One group had substantiated and validated cases of physical and sexual abuse and neglect; in the control group the individuals has no official record of abuse or neglect. The subjects who had been abused and neglected had higher rates of having an adult criminal record and a larger number of arrests as adults than did the controls. The abused and neglected subjects also had a higher frequency of arrests for violent offenses as adults but this was due mainly to significantly more adult violent offenses by abused males. A logit model which incorporates age, sex, race, and abuse/neglect history simultaneously is a good fit for predicting an adult criminal record. Childhood abuse, neglect, and violence have demonstrable long-term consequences for adult criminal behavior, but this outcome is not inevitable. In addition, the patterns differ for men and women. 7 notes, 4 tables, 1 figure, 54 references. (Author abstract modified)