The cycle of family violence among criminal offenders: A study of inmates in one Louisiana jail

Abstract

This paper focuses on the link between childhood family violence and adult family violence among criminal offenders. Results of a self-report study are used in the analysis. Data was obtained from 50men and 50women offenders who were incarcerated in a large urban jail in Southwest Louisiana. Results indicate a strong connection between experiencing family violence during childhood and continuing violence in adulthood (to a probability of about 90%). The findings also indicated that, among offenders who reported non-violent childhoods, women offenders were much more likely to go on to experience violent adult family lives.