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Developmental Trends in the Nature of Child Homicide

NCJ Number
123730
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1990) Pages: 202-216
Author(s)
P M Crittenden; S E Craig
Date Published
1990
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The physiological and circumstantial factors causing child homicide vary greatly, resulting in the absence of a specific pathogen on which to focus preventive or treatment efforts. However, child age may affect child risk for death by homicide for both cultural and developmental reasons; this study proposes groups of infancy, early childhood, and middle childhood.
Abstract
Mothers are expected to be the most frequent perpetrators of homicidal neonatal deaths. Deaths in early childhood are expected to result from attempts to manage behavior, to be perpetrated most often by parents and parent substitutes, and to result from beating or spanking. Deaths in middle childhood most often result from weapon wounds inflicted by other children or strangers. The sample for this study consists of 171 child homicides in Dade County, Florida, between 1956 and 1986; the data was collected retrospectively from court and medical records. In the neonatal sample, the risk of homicide is greatest during the first day of life and usually occurs when their births are not attended. Preventive measures should include attendance at all births and increased social and medical support for pregnant women. Infants and young children experience decreasing risk of death with increasing age. Most homicides are unintentional and appear to be typical of child abuse cases. Preventive measures should include a societal commitment to stop hitting children, provision of alternative disciplinary approaches, supportive treatment to families at risk, and elimination of poverty. Lack of supervision during middle childhood leads to deaths, mostly from guns, at the hands of children and strangers; these could be prevented with stricter gun control legislations. 27 references. (Author abstract modified)