Looking Forward in Records of Youth Abused as Infants: Risks for Homicidal,Violent,and Delinquent Offenses

Abstract

To study risks for abuse and later homicidal behavior, 192 abused infants (M age = 3.12 yr., SD = 1.48; 82 girls, 110 boys) and 192 controls were matched on demographics and examined; data discriminating abused and later homicidal cases were analyzed with Shao's bootstrapped logistic regression. Predictors of Abused status were injury, burn, poisoning, fetal substance exposure (OR = 2.47), later parental or youth court contacts (OR = 1.86e+12), and parental alcohol abuse (OR = .54; AUC = .99; 95%CI= .96−.99). Youth tracked through records 12 years (to M age = 12.17 yr., SD =1.89) were classified into Abused Later Homicidal (11%, n = 21), Abused Later Violent (14%, n = 27), Abused Later Delinquent (31%, n = 60), Abused Later Nondeliquent (n = 44), and Control groups (n = 192). Data were analyzed similarly. When the Abused Later Homicidal was contrasted with the Control group, predictors of homicide were three or more home/school moves (OR = .78), illnesses (OR = .90), and later court contacts (OR= 1.75e+07; AUC=.99; 95%CI=.90−.98). When the Abused Later Homicidal was compared with the Abused Later Nondelinquent group, predictors of homicide were poorer executive function (OR = 2.29) and later court contacts (OR = 7.78e+06;AUC=.94; 95%CI= .90−.98).