Child Development

Legislation and Support Services

Parallel to the women’s movement in the 1970s,
Americans began to demand tougher legislation and
greater police intervention in cases of domestic vio-
lence. Since then, laws have been passed that allow
police to make arrests without a warrant when proba-
ble cause is evident, require police to inform victims
of their rights and provide assistance, and require
mandatory arrests of offenders under certain condi-
tions. Additional legislation allows victims to receive
financial compensation for attacks, prohibits stalking,
and also provides for easier prosecution of rape of a
spouse (Flowers 2000).

Not only have laws been enacted to arrest and
prosecute violent partners, but services for victims
have also arisen in response to public concern. Vic-
tims of abuse may receive support through social ser-
vice agencies that assist them in accessing medical
care and mental health services. Shelters are available
that allow victims to stay temporarily in a safe envi-
ronment while they recover from abuse and search for
new living arrangements. Some shelters have also ex-
tended their services to include counseling and edu-
cational programs for clients. In addition, victims
may access hot lines manned by crisis counselors who
can offer advice to the individual about the abusive
situation and provide referrals to other support agen-
cies. Attendance to victim support groups and meet-
ings with clergy members also provide individuals
with opportunities to analyze their current situation
and examine means of escaping the abuse.

Although support services for victims have in-
creased and tougher legislation against violent of-
fenders has been enacted, domestic violence remains
a significant problem in society. It affects not only the
victims of the violence, but also the children who wit-
ness it and the community that must decide if and
how to intervene. Determining the cause of domestic
violence is complex, thereby making it difficult to find
viable solutions. Nevertheless, the struggle continues
to control and prevent a serious problem that per-
vades all levels of U.S. society.

See also: CHILD ABUSE; DIVORCE; VIOLENCE

Bibliography
Buzawa, Eve S., and Carl G. Buzawa. Domestic Violence: The Criminal
Justice Response, 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1996.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Report, 1999. Wash-
ington, DC, 2001. Available from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/
99cius.htm; INTERNET.
Flowers, Ronald Barri. Domestic Crimes, Family Violence, and Child
Abuse: A Study of Contemporary American Society. Jefferson, NC:
McFarland, 2000.
Gordon, Judith S. Helping Survivors of Domestic Violence: The Effec-
tiveness of Medical, Mental Health, and Community Services. New
York: Garland, 1998.

Kakar, Suman. Domestic Abuse: Public Policy/Criminal Justice Ap-

proaches towards Child, Spousal, and Elderly Abuse. San Francis-

co: Austin and Winfield, 1998.

Kashani, Javad H., and Wesley D. Allan. The Impact of Family Vio-

lence on Children and Adolescents. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage,

1998.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ‘‘Administration

for Children and Families Press Room Fact Sheet: Domestic

Violence.’’ Washington, DC, 2001. Available from http://

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/opa/facts/domsvio.htm; INTER-

NET.

U.S. Department of Justice. ‘‘Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Re-

port: Intimate Partner Violence.’’ Washington, DC, 2000.

Available from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/ipv.htm;

INTERNET.

Walker, Lenore E. The Battered Woman. New York: Harper and

Row, 1979.

Tracey R. Bainter

DOWN SYNDROME

Down syndrome, named after the physician Langdon

Down, is the most common genetic form of mental re-

tardation, occurring in 1 to 1.5 of every 1,000 live

births. In approximately 95 percent of cases, Down

syndrome results from an extra chromosome on the

twenty-first of the twenty-three pairs of human chro-

mosomes. Exactly what causes the addition of the

extra chromosomal material associated with Down

syndrome is not clear, although risk factors include

maternal age and possibly paternal age. People with

Down syndrome usually function in the moderate

range of mental retardation, with IQs generally rang-

ing from 40 to 55 on average, though IQs can some-

times be higher or lower. People with Down

syndrome experience particular deficits in certain as-

pects of language development, particularly expres-

sive language, articulation, and grammar. Despite

these deficits, many individuals with Down syndrome

have relatively good social skills.

See also: DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES;

MILESTONES OF DEVELOPMENT

Bibliography

Burack, Jake, Robert Hodapp, and Edward Zigler, eds. Handbook

of Mental Retardation and Development. New York: Cambridge

University Press, 1998.

Rondal, Jean, Juan Perera, Lynn Nadel, and A. Comblain. Down

Syndrome: Psychological, Psychobiological, and Socio-Educational

Perspectives. London: Whurr Publishers, 1996.

Sigman, Marian. ‘‘Developmental Deficits in Children with Down

Syndrome.’’ In Helen Tager Flusberg ed., Neurodevelopmental

Disorders: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Cambridge,

MA: MIT Press, 1999.

DOWN SYNDROME 127