International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Hank is 6 years old. Five months ago he witnessed the fatal shooting of his mother by his father, apparently as the result of an argument over his father's involvement with other women. After his mother's bloody body was removed from the home and his father was taken to jail, Hank and his younger sister were sent to the maternal grandparent's home, seven hundred miles away. Hank has frequent nightmares, is fearful, tries to "listen in" in all adult conversations in the home, and is afraid to go to the kitchen by himself. The local pediatrician finds strong suggestions of earlier physical abuse of both children. Hank's father calls the children from prison each week and always ends his conversation with Hank by reminding him he is now the "man of the house" and must take care of everyone.