A TYPICAL FAMILY SITUATION AS REVEALED BY THE STUDY COULD BE DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: A FAMILY OF ONE OR TWO CHILDREN, WITH YOUNG PARENTS PROBABLY AGED ABOUT TWENTY-THREE. THE MOTHER IS NOT IN PAID EMPLOYMENT AND THE FATHER HAS A MANUAL JOB - PROBABLY UNSKILLED. THE FATHER HAS ALREADY HAD A CRIMINAL CONVICTION, AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONTACT BETWEEN THE FAMILY AND THE PROBATION SERVICE BEFORE THE NON-ACCIDENTAL INJURY OCCURRED. THE VICTIM OF THE INJURY IS MOST LIKELY TO BE A BOY UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE - PROBABLY THE ELDER OR ONLY CHILD IN THE FAMILY. HE IS LIKELY TO RECEIVE SEVERE BRUISING OR EVEN A HEAD INJURY, AND IN THE LATTER CASE HE WILL PROBABLY DIE AS A RESULT. IF THE VICTIM HAD RECEIVED A PREVIOUS NONACCIDENTAL INJURY, THIS HAD PROBABLY OCCURRED WITHIN THE PRECEDING SIX MONTHS, AND WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER THAN AVERAGE FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE. THE SAME PARENT WAS PROBABLY INVOLVED ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THIS WAS MORE LIKELY TO BE THE MOTHER THAN THE FATHER. WHEN SIBLINGS OF VICTIMS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INJURED, THE SAME PARENT WAS PROBABLY INVOLVED AGAIN, BUT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT WAS MORE LIKELY TO BE THE FATHER. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)