Response to the Book "Ghosts from the Nursery"

Response to the Book "Ghosts from the Nursery"

In the book, Ghosts from the Nursery the authors clearly convey how biology, pre and perinatal risk factors combined with early family environment play an important role in a child’s predisposition for future violent behavior (Karr-Morse&Wiley, 1997). A common misconception in our modern society is that violence surges out of nowhere. Violence has invaded the media, everyday newspapers and T.V shows demonstrate how more and more heinous crimes are committed by youngsters and not adults. In the book, the authors have found the answer in the nursery. The fetal stage and the first two years of life is a crucial time in the child’s development (Karr-Morse & Wiley, 1997). But many children are not so fortunate; many suffer neglect and abuse during this time, causing a high predisposition for abnormal behavior in the future. “The ghosts of children lost to rage and despair,” are sometimes overlooked by our community and the criminal justice system. More and more children are growing to be, violent criminals (Karr-Morse & Wiley, 1997)
In accordance to Moffit’s developmental theory, the authors demonstrate how pre and perinatal factors, parent’s neuropsychological deficits, domestic abuse and a criminogenic environment all together create a deadly combination that can have a very damaging effect in the child’s life. Research has shown that it’s not one particular factor that can lead to criminal behavior but the interaction between them (Karr-Morse & Wiley, 1997). This book is very important in the field of criminology as well as psychology since it provides much insight behind the criminal mind. The author’s findings come from years of extensive research and observation.
The book is well written and very informative; the data it presents is definitely highly qualified and insightful in showing how many factors can affect a child’s developmental process. The authors clearly state in the beginning of the book that it’s not a specific factor that creates an anomaly or...

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