A prospective study of offending patterns of youth homicide offenders into adulthood: An examination of offending trajectories and the crime-mix post-homicide

Abstract

Although youth homicide offenders (YHOs) are portrayed as a group that warrants considerable attention from the justice system because of their high likelihood of future offending, little is known about this group’s offending trajectories and the nature of post-homicide offenses in adulthood. These questions were investigated using a sample of male and female YHOs (n = 26), violent youth non-homicide offenders (VYNHOs; n = 358), and non-violent youth non-homicide offenders (NVYNHOs; n =139), all of whom were followed prospectively into adulthood. First, the prevalence of adult recidivism did not vary across the three groups. Second, YHOs were more frequent offenders prior to their homicide offense than after their homicide offense, and when they did offend post-homicide, it was typically a non-serious crime. Third, YHOs did not differ from other offenders in their association to a specific offending trajectory. These findings are discussed in the context of assessment and treatment of serious and violent youth.