This study examines the extent to which family disorganization moderates the effect of social service placement on juvenile and adult arrests. Using Widom's prospective data containing 749 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect, the authors test hypotheses relating to two measures of family disorganization: family separation and family moves. They find that removing an abused or neglected child from the home increased the likelihood of adult arrest for children who experienced a recent family separation. Placement reduced likelihood of arrest for males who experienced frequent moves and increased risk of adult arrest for females who experienced frequent moves. The authors conclude that gender differences in placement outcomes should be explored, and they discuss the implications of this research for social service agencies.
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