The results indicate that physically abused offenders report higher rates of violent, property and total offending than nonabused offenders and that certain experiences, such as parental support can minimize the negative consequences of physical abuse. In response to these results, preventive strategies that incorporate or promote the provision of parental support would be expected to further insulate or protect youth from negative and criminogenic consequences of experiencing physical abuse during childhood. There is evidence that abused children are more aggressive than nonabused children, experience more internalizing behavior problems, and have higher levels of impaired social functioning. In addition, there also appears to be a strong link between childhood experiences of abuse and higher rates of offending behavior in later life. Utilizing a sample of 480 male and female offenders serving community corrections orders in Queensland, Australia, this study examined what relationship existed between physical abuse and later offending behavior, whether this relationship varied by gender, whether any factors functioned as protective influences in reducing adult offending, and what preventive opportunities existed to reduce the criminogenic consequences of physical child abuse. Tables, figures, references