Attorney General Eric Holder's Task Force Examines Children's Exposure to Violence in Rural and Tribal Communities

Studies have identified a robust association between children’s exposure to violence and their mental health. Yet, most of this research has been based on self-reported exposure and self-reported mental health. In this study, we used a new, map-based method via police data for measuring children’s exposure to violent crime and compared it to child self-reports and parent reports of exposure. Results suggest that child self-reports of violence exposure may not be valid except for exposure to murder, but police and parent reports of violent crime can reveal interesting relations between violence and mental health. Children showed higher levels of internalizing problems in the absence of police-reported murder and parent-reported robbery. Discussion emphasizes implications for measurement as well as theory building.

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Preschool children's exposure to violence: Relation of behavior problems to parent and child reports.

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry ◽

10.1037/h0087690 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 70 (1) ◽

pp. 115-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Ariana Shahinfar ◽

Nathan A. Fox ◽

Lewis A. Leavitt

Keyword(s):

Behavior Problems ◽

Exposure To Violence ◽

Child Reports ◽

Children’S Exposure

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Constructing Children's Views in the Enforcement of Contact Orders

The International Journal of Children s Rights ◽

10.1163/157181808x401457 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 663-680 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Ingrid Höjer ◽

Karin Röbäck

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Family Law ◽

Exposure To Violence ◽

Children's Rights ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Special Study ◽

Swedish Study ◽

Children’S Participation ◽

Children’S Views ◽

Children’S Exposure

AbstractUsing findings from a qualitative Swedish study on children in family law, in particular the enforcement of contact orders, the article focuses on how professionals recognise and account for children's views in such proceedings. Data include 46 court verdicts, whereof 18 files were selected for special study, and 12 interviews with professionals. Results indicate that constructions of what are the children's 'real' views; a discussion of protecting children from negative responsibility; and chronological age, can be used to subordinate children's participation in court. In cases where children's 'conditions' for contact are disregarded by the court, we argue that the children's views are invalidated, as are the possible risk for children's exposure to violence and/or abuse. The reason for involving children in decision-making in family law is consequently not only to uphold children's rights, but to promote children's protection as well.

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