Examining the effects of demographic and situational factors on childhood animal cruelty methods

The current study seeks to replicate Hensley, Tallichet, and Dutkiewicz’s (2012) research on childhood animal cruelty methods by surveying 257 inmates in a medium-security Southern prison. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between participants’ demographic and situational factors and their individual methods of childhood animal cruelty. The study also investigated the predictive value of childhood animal cruelty methods on adult recurrent violent crimes. Logistic regression revealed that those who were younger when they first engaged in animal cruelty were more likely to drown, kick, burn, stab, and have sex with animals. Inmates who were not upset after committing animal cruelty were more likely to choke and have sex with animals. Those who grew up in rural areas and those who did not cover up their animal cruelty acts were more likely to shoot animals. Those who committed recurrent acts of childhood animal cruelty were more likely to stab animals. Those who were mentally abused were more likely to choke and stab animals. Non-whites were more likely to have sex with and burn animals. The only method that predicted adult recurrent violent crimes was stabbing animals.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Grimes, Mackenzie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hensley, Christopher
• Garland, Tammy; McGuffee, Karen
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Violence in children
• Animal welfare -- Psychological aspects
• Children and animals
• Conduct disorders in children -- Risk factors
• Human-animal relationships

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/107

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1106