A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM OF INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE AND CRIME FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES. SOME SPEAKERS FOCUSED ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM, OTHERS DISCUSSED THE HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIOPOLITICAL ASPECTS. GENERALLY, CHILD ABUSE AND OTHER SORTS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE WERE THOUGHT TO BE MERE EXAGGERATIONS OF NORMAL AGGRESSIVE TENSIONS FOUND IN EVERY HOME. FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS, DEPENDENCY, HUMILIATION, FRUSTRATION, AND LACK OF FREEDOM WERE VIEWED AS POTENT INSTIGATORS OF VIOLENCE IN BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN. PREMARITAL CONCEPTION, ILLEGITIMACY, POVERTY, AND LOW SOCIAL CLASS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER INCIDENCES OF CHILD ABUSE. CHILD ABUSE WAS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGE-OLD IDEA THAT CHILDREN WERE THE POSSESSIONS OF THEIR PARENTS. THE CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY UNIT AS A COMPONENT OF SOCIETY WAS CONSIDERED DESIRABLE AND THIS RAISED THE DIFFICULT QUESTION OF HOW BEST TO RECONCILE SOCIETY'S INTEREST IN FAMILY AUTONOMY AND PRIVACY WITH SOCIETY'S INTEREST IN ERADICATING CHILD ABUSE AND OTHER INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE. CONTEMPORARY METHODS OF DEALING WITH THOSE PROBLEMS WERE CRITICALLY ANALYZED AND EVALUATED. VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR REMEDYING THE SITUATION WERE DISCUSSED. THESE INCLUDED COMPULSORY EDUCATION FOR PARENTS, BETTER TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS WHO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS, PRESCREENING TECHNIQUES, AND THE ELIMINATION OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES. CRIMINALIZATION OF THE PROSCRIBED ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH WERE NONVIOLENT SUCH AS INCEST, WAS SEEN AS OFTEN DOING MORE HARM THAN THE ORIGINAL OFFENSE. (MPK)