Alan Prendergast
Author of Poison Tree: A True Story of Family Terror
Works by Alan Prendergast
Associated Works
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Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1957
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Denver, Colorado, USA
- Education
- Colorado College
Ohio State University - Occupations
- journalist
instructor, Colorado College - Awards and honors
- Eugene S. Pullium National Journalism Writing Award (2015)
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Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 2
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 96
- Popularity
- #196,089
- Rating
- 3.2
- Reviews
- 1
- ISBNs
- 9
In 1982 when this all took place, child abuse was considered rare and only involved broken bones in young children. Father-daughter incest was considered impossible (the rate was considered 1 in 1,000,000 (million), if that). Corporal punishment was the norm and disciplining children without the use of force or violence was considered permissive or hippy. Wives could be beaten by their husbands and were expected to put up with, even to consider it their fault for being abused. The criminal justice was more black and white. Children accused of crimes had few rights. The concept and reality of psychological abuse wasn't even on the radar.
Richard and Deborah Jahnke were very much the victims of an abuser. And yes, Richard killed his father but his father would have likely killed a family member at some point. Killing is wrong but vicious, continuous psychological, verbal, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse over years is pure torture. Richard was still wrong for killing his father but the environment he was in left him little choice.
Thankfully today we recognize child abuse as a serious crime. Yet there are children in the same/similar situations Richard and Deborah were in and believe they can do nothing about them. Or they've asked for help and haven't received it or been told that their lying. We've improved but we as society as a whole can do better when it comes to child abuse.… (more)