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24 Soc. Probs. 310 (1976-1977)
The Discovery of Child Abuse

handle is hein.journals/socprob24 and id is 322 raw text is: THE DISCOVERY OF CHILD ABUSE* STEPHEN J. PFOHL Ohio State University This paper represents a study of the organization of social forces which gave rise to the deviant labelling of child beating and which promoted the speedy and universal enactment of criminal legislation in the mid-i 960s. Initial consideration is given to an historical survey of social reaction prior to the formulation of a fixed label. Specific attention is focused on the nineteenth-century house of refuge movement, early twentieth- century crusades by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the rise of juvenile courts. A second section concentrates on the web of cultural values related to the protection of children at the time of the discovery of abuse as deviance. A third section examines factors associ- ated with the organizational structure of the medical profession conducive to the discovery of a particular deviant label. The final segment of the paper concerns resultant social reaction. The paper synthesizes conflict and labelling perspectives in providing an interpretation of a particular social-legal development. Despite documentary evidence of child beating throughout the ages, the discovery of child abuse as deviance and its subsequent criminalization are recent phenomena. In a four- year period beginning in 1962, the legislatures of all fifty states passed statutes against the caretaker's abuse of children. This paper is a study of the organization of social forces which gave rise to the deviant labeling of child beating and which promoted speedy and universal enactment of criminal legislation. It is an examination of certain organized medical interests, whose concern in the discovery of the battered child syndrome manifestly contributed to the advance of humanitarian pursuits while covertly rewarding the groups themselves. The structure of the present analysis is fourfold: First, an historical survey of social re- action to abusive behavior prior to the formulation of fixed labels during the early sixties, focussing on the impact of three previous reform movements. These include the nineteenth- century house-of-refuge movement, early twentieth century crusades by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the rise of juvenile courts. The second section concentrates on the web of cultural values related to the protection of children at the time of the discovery of abuse as deviance. A third section examines factors associated with the organizational structure of the medical profession conducive to the discovery of a particu- lar type of deviant label. The fourth segment discusses social reaction. Finally, the paper provides a sociological interpretation of a particular social-legal development. Generically it gives support for a synthesis of conflict and labeling perspectives in the sociology of deviance and law. THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL REACTION: PREVENTATIVE PENOLOGY AND SOCIETY SAVING. The purposeful beating of the young has for centuries found legitimacy in beliefs of its necessity for achieving disciplinary, educational or religious obedience (Radbill, 1968). Both the Roman legal code of Patria Patistas (Shepard, 1965), and the English common law *The author acknowledges the invaluable collaboration of Judith Dilorio of The Ohio State University in bringing this manuscript. to its final form. Also acknowledged are the critical comments of John Conrad, Raymond Michalowski and Dee Roth. Consultation with Simon Dinitz, Gideon Fishman and Andrew Rutherford on an earlier draft of this paper is likewise appreicated. Gratitude is also expressed to Kathy Delgarn for the preparation of the manuscript.

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