NCJ Number
200175
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 92 Issue: 3/4 Dated: Spring/Summer 2002 Pages: 707-738
Date Published
2002
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Following an overview of the patterned nature of contemporary infanticide cases in the United States, this study compared today's cases of infanticide with the patterns of those committed between 1870 and 1930 in Chicago.
Abstract
The study found that both in the Chicago cases of infanticide during 1870-1930 and in contemporary cases of infanticide, the public and societal institutions responded to the homicide of children by identifying and punishing a single, blameworthy individual. Little attention is given to the manner in which society's structural underpinnings contribute to the persistence of infanticide. There was apparently little awareness, for example, that an extraordinary number of cases in which women killed themselves and their children between 1870 and 1930 occurred among women with limited resources who were left alone to manage their families. One of the most significant differences between the patterns in the 1870-1930 Chicago infanticide cases and contemporary cases is the relatively small number of homicide-suicides that occur in contemporary society. This may be due to the existence of more support services for single and mentally ill mothers; daycare is available as are a variety of mental health services. The second major distinction between the historical and the contemporary infanticide cases involves the relative paucity among the historical cases of infanticides that involved parents abusing, neglecting, and maliciously killing their children; whereas, such cases constitute the majority of contemporary infanticide cases. Substance abuse seems to be a contributing factor in many contemporary infanticide cases; as many as 50 percent of all child abuse and neglect cases referred to juvenile court involve allegations of parental substance abuse. Still, there is considerable debate about whether the apparent increase in abuse-related infanticide in contemporary cases is due to differences in case reporting or to an actual overall increase in malicious violence toward children. Whatever the differences in patterns, infanticide can be attributed to a combination of environmental conditions impacting the family, accessible supportive services, the mental states of parents, and the expectations and resources for parenting. 128 notes