Child-Maltreatment-Research-L (CMRL) List Serve
Browse All Past CMRL Messages
Welcome to the archive of past Child-Maltreatment-Research-L (CMRL) list serve messages (11,000+). The table below contains all past CMRL messages (text only, no attachments) from Nov. 20, 1996 - June 16, 2025 and is updated every two months.
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Message ID: 10595
Date: 2019-12-06
Author:Kirk Witherspoon
Subject:Re: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
Please do read the Eichner article. Problematic is the dispositive use of unfounded profile or syndrome indicator lists to "diagnose" ultimate legal conclusions. MCA also conflates motive and behavior - as did MSBP - which is more than misguided from an investigative standpoint. Such is not to suggest that caregivers don't hurt kids in a variety of ways; rather, it is that unfounded profiles have no established reliability or validity for fact finding or risk prognostication. Kirk Witherspoon, PhD Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA Sex Offender Evaluator - IL 722 - 23rd Avenue Court Moline, IL 61265-4624 Tel. (309) 762-2922 Fax (309) 762-8394 kirkwitherspoon@mchsi.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa Fontes
Reply-To: Child Maltreatment Researcher List (CMRL)
To: Child Maltreatment Researcher List (CMRL)
Cc: PsyLaw list
Sent: 12/6/2019 8:58:13 AM
Subject: Re: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
________________________________
What do people think about this?
Some of the most disturbing cases of child abuse that I have seen have involved medical child abuse. Do the criteria need to be narrowed?
Would that be the best response?
Are there representatives of ISPCAN or APSAC or other national child abuse organizations on this list who could inform us about what the official responses are to these important discussions?
Are there researchers of medical child abuse on this list who could shed some light?
Respectfully,
Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.
LFontes@umass.edu
________________________________
From: "Kirk Witherspoon"
To: "PsyLaw list"
Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2019 7:08:07 PM
Subject: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
"Medical Child Abuse" expose' attached.
Excellent and worth a very careful read.
Kirk Witherspoon, PhD
Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA
Sex Offender Evaluator - IL
722 - 23rd Avenue Court
Moline, IL 61265-4624
Tel. (309) 762-2922
Fax (309) 762-8394
kirkwitherspoon@mchsi.com
Please do read the Eichner article. Problematic is the dispositive use of unfounded profile or syndrome indicator lists to "diagnose" ultimate legal conclusions. MCA also conflates motive and behavior - as did MSBP - which is more than misguided from an investigative standpoint. Such is not to suggest that caregivers don't hurt kids in a variety of ways; rather, it is that unfounded profiles have no established reliability or validity for fact finding or risk prognostication. Kirk Witherspoon, PhD Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA Sex Offender Evaluator - IL 722 - 23rd Avenue Court Moline, IL 61265-4624 Tel. (309) 762-2922 Fax (309) 762-8394 kirkwitherspoonmchsi.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa Fontes
Reply-To: Child Maltreatment Researcher List (CMRL)
To: Child Maltreatment Researcher List (CMRL)
Cc: PsyLaw list
Sent: 12/6/2019 8:58:13 AM
Subject: Re: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
________________________________
What do people think about this?
Some of the most disturbing cases of child abuse that I have seen have involved medical child abuse. Do the criteria need to be narrowed?
Would that be the best response?
Are there representatives of ISPCAN or APSAC or other national child abuse organizations on this list who could inform us about what the official responses are to these important discussions?
Are there researchers of medical child abuse on this list who could shed some light?
Respectfully,
Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.
LFontesumass.edu
________________________________
From: "Kirk Witherspoon"
To: "PsyLaw list"
Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2019 7:08:07 PM
Subject: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
"Medical Child Abuse" expose' attached.
Excellent and worth a very careful read.
Kirk Witherspoon, PhD
Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA
Sex Offender Evaluator - IL
722 - 23rd Avenue Court
Moline, IL 61265-4624
Tel. (309) 762-2922
Fax (309) 762-8394
kirkwitherspoonmchsi.com
Author:Kirk Witherspoon
Subject:Re: "Medical Child Abuse" expose'
Please do read the Eichner article. Problematic is the dispositive use of unfounded profile or syndrome indicator lists to "diagnose" ultimate legal conclusions. MCA also conflates motive and behavior - as did MSBP - which is more than misguided from an investigative standpoint. Such is not to suggest that caregivers don't hurt kids in a variety of ways; rather, it is that unfounded profiles have no established reliability or validity for fact finding or risk prognostication. Kirk Witherspoon, PhD Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA Sex Offender Evaluator - IL 722 - 23rd Avenue Court Moline, IL 61265-4624 Tel. (309) 762-2922 Fax (309) 762-8394 kirkwitherspoon@mchsi.com
Please do read the Eichner article. Problematic is the dispositive use of unfounded profile or syndrome indicator lists to "diagnose" ultimate legal conclusions. MCA also conflates motive and behavior - as did MSBP - which is more than misguided from an investigative standpoint. Such is not to suggest that caregivers don't hurt kids in a variety of ways; rather, it is that unfounded profiles have no established reliability or validity for fact finding or risk prognostication. Kirk Witherspoon, PhD Clinical & Forensic Psychologist - IL & IA Sex Offender Evaluator - IL 722 - 23rd Avenue Court Moline, IL 61265-4624 Tel. (309) 762-2922 Fax (309) 762-8394 kirkwitherspoonmchsi.com
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