The proposed project was to develop a five-year longitudinal study on the relations between family violence and child abuse and juvenile crime, criminal behavior, and school behavior problems. This effort was initiated by the House Select Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. Over six million children and three million spouses are severely assaulted each year by family members. In Florida during FY 1992-1993, there were 130,801 cases of child abuse and neglect investigated and verified by the Florida Protective Services.
Abuse is a major threat to American families.
Those who are not physically injured are often injured psychologically. According to Richard Lerner, Director of the Institute for Children, Youth, and Families at Michigan State University, this issue has not been studied in an informed and scientific manner. In order to effectively study the issues, the Consortium undertook this project. Florid Mental Health Institute, 1996. An extensive search of the literature was conducted at the Florida Mental Health Institute Research Library to provide both a historical and an interdisciplinary view of the work done in the areas of violence and its relationship to subsequent behavioral, delinquency, and criminal tendencies.