Citation

Baratvand M, Soodani M, Zarei E, Asadollahi A. Child Abuse Rev. 2013; 22(6): 408-418.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/car.2263

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study conducted in the Ahvaz Correction Centre (ACC) in 2008 explored the relationship between variables such as drug abuse and sexual abuse and homelessness among children. The sample consisted of 28 children (mean age=14.5years) selected by snowball sampling. Data were collected by social workers practising in the ACC. The mean age of children beginning life on the streets was 11.71 years, and the group lived on the streets, on average, for 2.69 years. The group was held in the ACC, on average, for 11.68months. Sexual abuse and drug abuse were common behaviours among the children, and robust relationships were found between these variables and age during the first experience of shelter-seeking. The children had committed crimes such as pick-pocketing, sexual abuse against other children, drug addiction and drug trafficking. It was found that many of their families had a history of conflict and/or divorce and most children had a family member with a criminal record. The children were also disadvantaged by a lack of education, with illiteracy common among them and their parents. A significant relationship was established between the children's family situation and the length of their detention (r=0.47), while children who maintained links with their family members were less likely to return to crime after release from the centre. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.