The existing literature on the relationship between childhood cruelty to
animals and later violence against people appears to be inconsistent. The
authors review the controlled studies that did not support this
relationship and those that did and identify several methodological factors
that may have contributed to the contradictory findings. Studies using
direct interviews to examine subjects with multiple acts of violence point
to an association between a pattern of childhood animal cruelty and later
serious, recurrent aggression against people. Identification of such a
relationship could improve understanding of impulsive violence and
facilitate early intervention and prevention.
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