SELF-REPORTS OF EARLY-CHILDHOOD VICTIMIZATION AMONG INCARCERATED ADULT MALE FELONS

The extent of childhood victimization (physical abuse, sexual abuse, a nd neglect) was assessed retrospectively through self-reports in a sam ple of 301 convicted adult male felons randomly selected from a New Yo rk State medium-correctional facility using a structured interview wit h known psychometric properties. Overall, 68% of the sample of incarce rated adult male felons reported some form of childhood victimization, although the percentage varied depending on the measure used to asses s the childhood abuse experiences Violent offenders reported significa ntly more childhood neglect than nonviolent offenders but not more phy sical abuse. On an overall index of childhood sexual abuse, sex offend ers reported higher rates of childhood sexual abuse than other offende rs (26.3% vs. 12.5%). Implications of these findings are discussed.