The Cycle of Violence

Childhood abuse and neglect have a significant impact on the likelihood of arrest for delinquency, adult criminality, and violence. By the age of 32 years, almost half of the victims of abuse and neglect were arrested for a nontraffic offense. By responding to incidents of child abuse and neglect, health care professionals can play an important role in preventing future violence. More attention must be paid to childhood victims of neglect and to differences in the consequences of abuse and neglect by gender and race or ethnicity.