THESE ESSAYS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THREE CLOSELY RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS WHICH FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: (1) THE INCIDENCE, TYPES, NATURE, AND PATTERNS OF VIOLENCE BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES, (2) VIOLENCE TOWARD PREGNANT WOMEN, AND (3) MARITAL RAPE (OR VIOLENCE). IN STUDYING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, RESEARCHERS SELECTED A SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE PHENOMENON--VIOLENCE TOWARD CHILDREN. A MODEL OF CHILD ABUSE CAUSES WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH DATA AVAILABLE FROM PHYSICIANS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND PSYCHIATRISTS. THE DATA SUPPORTED THE CONTENTION THAT CHILD ABUSE GROWS OUT OF A COMPLEX SET OF INTERRELATED SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECOLOGICAL FACTORS RATHER THAN SOME MENTAL ABERRATION OR PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM OF THE ABUSER. A NATIONAL SURVEY FOUND THAT STRESS, UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT, NUMBER OF CHILDREN, AND SOCIAL ISOLATION WERE ALL RELATED TO ABUSIVE VIOLENCE TOWARDS CHILDREN. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN ALSO IS DISCUSSED. THE FIRST THREE ESSAYS ON MARITAL VIOLENCE CONSIDER THE SITUATION OF THE WOMAN VICTIM WHILE THE FOURTH DISCUSSES HUSBAND ABUSE, SPOUSE ABUSE IN GENERAL, AND STEPS TO AMELIORATE THE SITUATION. RESEARCH FOUND THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX COUPLES IN THE UNITED STATES ENGAGE IN AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT OF VIOLENCE EACH YEAR. THE ESSAYS IN THE THIRD SECTION ARE DESIGNED TO SHOW THAT SOUND SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ARE POSSIBLE AND THAT RESEARCHERS SHOULD NOT ELIMINATE CERTAIN SENSITIVE RESEARCH OPTIONS IN ADVANCE. THUS, MAJOR PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN CONDUCTING SENSITIVE TOPIC RESEARCH, INCLUDING SAMPLING, RAPPORT, VALIDITY, AND RELIABILITY ARE REVIEWED, AS WELL AS SOME CURRENT FORMS OF RESEARCH ON CHILD ABUSE AND FAMILY VIOLENCE. THE SOCIETAL IMPACT OF VIOLENCE IN THE HOME WAS INVESTIGATED VIA A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF RESEARCH ON SUPPORT OF THE DEATH PENALTY. A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK PROPOSES THAT EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE AS A CHILD INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WILL SUPPORT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. THUS, VIOLENCE IN THE HOME MAY WELL CONTRIBUTE TO THE HIGH LEVELS OF SUPPORT FOR VIOLENCE IN OUR SOCIETY. TABLES, FIGURES, REFERENCE NOTES, CASE LAW, AND A REFERENCE LIST ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)