Low self‐control as a precursor to crime and accidents in a Finnish longitudinal study

Abstract

The results of a Finnish longitudinal study of social development with a random sample of 196 males and 173 females tracked from age 8 to 32 revealed that the concept of self‐control is useful when the risks of crime and casualty (accidents) are described; low self‐control in childhood and adolescence is a precursor to crime and accidents. Neither the relationship between low self‐control and crime, nor that between low self‐control and casualty were linear, however, as significant results were obtained only for subjects exhibiting prominent negative behaviour (above 75th percentile) patterned with other problem behaviours. The study suggests that problem behaviours and adverse life conditions accumulate in these individuals. A person‐orientated approach would be needed to complement traditional quantitative studies for understanding the effects of accumulated risk factors on crime and casualty.