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PARENTAL MISTREATMENT - PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS

NCJ Number
50693
Journal
Journal of Marriage and the Family Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (NOVEMBER 1971) Pages: 649-657
Author(s)
J M GIOVANNONI
Date Published
1971
Length
9 pages
Annotation
ABUSIVE AND NONABUSIVE PARENTS ARE COMPARED IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSITION THAT PARENTAL MISTREATMENT RESULTS FROM NOXIOUS SOCIAL FORCES IMPINGING ON FAMILIES.
Abstract
PARENTAL MISTREATMENT OF CHILDREN IS ONE FORM OF FAMILIAL VIOLENCE. THERE ARE TWO RECOGNIZED FORMS OF MISTREATMENT, ABUSE AND NEGLECT. ABUSIVE ACTS ARE ACTS OF COMMISSION, RESULTING IN HARM TO CHILDREN; NEGLECTFUL ACTS ARE ACTS OF OMISSION THAT HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN. IN TERMS OF RIGHTS AND DUTIES IN THE PARENTAL ROLE, ABUSE IS AN EXPLOITATION OF THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS TO CONTROL, DISCIPLINE, AND PUNISH THEIR CHILDREN. NEGLECT REPRESENTS FAILURE TO PERFORM PARENTAL DUTIES, INCLUDING THOSE OF SUPERVISION, NURTURANCE, AND PROTECTION. CASES SELECTED FOR INCLUSION IN ONE STUDY WERE DRAWN FROM TWO PUBLIC WELFARE DEPARTMENTS AND CONSISTED OF 103 PHYSICAL ABUSE CASES, 153 NEGLECT CASES, AND 242 CASES THAT INVOLVED ADEQUATE CARE FOR CHILDREN. ON ALL MEASURES OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, ABUSIVE PARENTS HAD HIGHER STATUS POSITIONS AND WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE HIGHER INCOMES. SIGNIFICANTLY MORE NEGLECTFUL PARENTS SCORED LOWER ON THESE INDEXES. IN ANOTHER STUDY, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT NEGLECTFUL MOTHERS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER INCOMES AND FEWER OF THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE THAN DID NONNEGLECTFUL MOTHERS. BOTH ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE HANDLED THROUGH THE SAME COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS FROM A MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT. MECHANISMS FOR HANDLING PARENTAL MISTREATMENT INCLUDE JUVENILE COURTS, PROBATION, AND SPECIALIZED PROTECTIVE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES. POOR FAMILIES GENERALLY HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. A NUMBER OF THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO WHICH THEY DID HAVE ACCESS WERE INADEQUATE IN PROVIDING SERVICES RELATED TO MATERNAL AND INFANT CARE. HISTORICAL EVENTS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWING CONCERN FOR CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES ARE REVIEWED, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)