Abstract
Previous research in the study of family abduction has been plagued by three problems in efforts to establish risk factors for the experience of these events: (1) failure to use appropriate comparison groups; (2) focus on only the most severe cases of abduction, without consideration of the full spectrum of these events; and (3) use of data drawn only from some “reported” source (i.e., police, court, or missing children agency reports). This paper addresses these three methodological difficulties, using data drawn from a national sample of families, and including both abducted and nonabducted children. We find that race, age of children, family size, and incidence of violence in the family all appear to bear on the risk of experiencing a family abduction event. Further, recency of divorce or separation appears to be associated with the risk for more serious or alarming cases of family abduction.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Agopian, M. W. (1981). Parental Child-Stealing, Lexington Books, Lexington, MA.
Agopian, M. W. (1984). The impact on children of abduction by parents. Child Welfare 63(6): 511–519.
Asbury, J. (1987). African-American women in violent relationships: An exploration of cultural differences. In Hampton, R. (ed.), Violence in the Black Family, Lexington Books, Lexington, MA.
Cole, W. A. and Bradford, J. M. (1992). Abduction during custody and access disputes. Canad. J. Psychiatry 37 (May): 264–266.
Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G. T., and Sedlak, A. (1990). Missing, abducted, runaway and thrownaway children in America. First report: Numbers and characteristics, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G. T., and Sedlak, A. (1991). Children abducted by family members: A national household survey of incidence and episode characteristics. J. Marr. Fam. 53: 805–817.
Greif, G. L. and Hegar, R. L. (1991). Parents whose children are abducted by the other parent: Implications for treatment. Am. J. Fam. Therapy, 19(3): 215–225.
Greif, G. L., and Hegar, R. L. (1993). When Parents Kidnap: The Families Behind the Headlines. Free Press, New York.
Hegar, R. L., and Greif, G. L. (1991). Abduction of children by their parents: A survey of the problem. Social Work 36(5): 421–426.
Janvier, R. F. (1990). Parental kidnapping: A survey of left-behind parents. Juven. Fam. Court J. 41: 1–8.
National Center for Health Statistics. (1995). Vital Statistics of the United States, 1991, vol. 1, Natality, Public Health Service, Washington, DC.
Plass, P. S., Finkelhor, D., and Hotaling, G. T. (1995). Police Response to Family Abduction Episodes. Crime Delinq. 41: 205–218.
Plass, P. S., Finkelhor, D., and Hotaling, G. T. (1996). Family abduction outcomes: Factors associated with duration and emotional trauma to children.” Youth Soc. 28: 109–130.
Sedlak, A., Mohadjer, L., McFarland, J., and Hudock, V. (1990). National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children: Household Methodology Report. Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.
U.S. Dept. of Justice. (1994). Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1992. Bureau of Justice Statistics (NCJ-145125), Washington, DC.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Plass, P.S., Finkelhor, D. & Hotaling, G.T. Risk Factors for Family Abduction: Demographic and Family Interaction Characteristics. Journal of Family Violence 12, 333–348 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022805005953
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022805005953