Understanding Why They Hurt Children

In this book, nine experts explore the reasons people abuse and neglect children-and what can be done to recognize and prevent it.

Why do people abuse those who they should most nurture and protect? In Understanding Why They Hurt Children: The Biology, Psychology, and Sociology of Child Abusers nine expert contributors try to answer that critically important question. They offer in-depth explorations of the impact of environment and of psychological, physiological, and sociological factors that are known to contribute to abuse. They also examine the involvement of the criminal justice system, including forensics used to uncover abuse and penalties to punish it.



As this well-researched work makes clear, child abuse is attributable to a complex combination of human and environmental systems, ranging from poverty to depression to substance abuse. The goal of this book is to help interested parties, including professionals, students, and the general public, understand when and why such factors manifest themselves so that child abuse can be both recognized and prevented.


* Contributions from nine authors who are experts in specific fields of child abuse and neglect

* A glossary

* A bibliography