Persistent Delinquents Research Articles

Cumulative trauma, adversity and grief symptoms associated with fronto-temporal regions in life-course persistent delinquent boys

Delinquent youth have substantial trauma exposure, with life-course persistent delinquents [LCPD] demonstrating notably elevated cross-diagnostic psychopathology and cognitive deficits. Because adolescents remain in the midst of brain and neurocognitive development, tailored interventions are key to improving functional outcomes. This structural magnetic resonance imaging study compared neuroanatomical profiles of 23 LCPD and 20 matched control adolescent boys. LCPD youth had smaller overall gray matter, and left hippocampal, volumes alongside less cortical surface area and folding within the left pars opercularis and supramarginal cortex. LCPD youth had more adversity-related exposures, and their higher Cumulative Trauma, Adversity and Grief [C-TAG] symptoms were associated with less surface area and folding in the pars opercularis and lingual gyrus. Neuroanatomical differences between LCPD and control youth overlap with data from both maltreatment and antisocial literatures. The affected left frontal regions also share connections to language- and executive-related functions, aligning well with LCPD youths' cognitive and behavioral difficulties. These data also dovetail with research suggesting the possibility of neurodevelopmental delays or disruptions related to cumulative adversity burden. Thus, concurrent treatment of LCPD youths' C-TAG symptoms and, cognitive deficits with overlapping neuroanatomical bases, may be most effective in improving outcomes and optimizing neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Predicting Recidivism in Adolescents With Behavior Problems Using PCL-SV

Studies show that identifying persistent delinquents on the basis of early antisocial conduct yields a significant error rate. However, evaluating childhood or adolescent psychopathic traits is likely to improve matters in this regard. This study seeks to verify the contribution of psychopathic traits in adolescence to antisocial conduct prediction in early adulthood. To this end, a French version of the Psychopathy Checklist -Screening Version (PCL-SV) adapted to adolescents is used to evaluate psychopathic traits in 27 youths aged 15 to 19 years recruited in youth centres and presenting behavioral problems reaching a clinical threshold. The PCL-SV scores contribute significantly above and beyond indices of delinquent behavior to predict self-reported antisocial conduct 2 years later and, specifically, to predict criminal versatility and violent recidivism.

La transición desde la delincuencia juvenil a la delincuencia adulta

Los investigadores, los profesionales y el público en general debaten qué lleva a los jóvenes a cometer delitos. Algunos consideran que existen "malas" personas, ya problemáticas desde la infancia, y que muchas de ellas se convierten después en delincuentes persistentes. Otros, por el contrario, argumentan que los delincuentes juveniles son fundamentalmente un producto de su entorno: cuanto peor es su ambiente, peor es su comportamiento a lo largo del tiempo. En 2009 se creó por iniciativa del Instituto Nacional de Justicia del Gobierno de Estados Unidos el Grupo de Estudio sobre la transición desde la delincuencia juvenil a la delincuencia adulta (National Institute of Justice –NIJ- Study Group on Transitions from Juvenile Delinquency to Adult Crime), que ha desarrollado [...]

Trajectories of Delinquency and Parenting Styles

We investigated trajectories of adolescent delinquent development using data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study and examined the extent to which these different trajectories are differentially predicted by childhood parenting styles. Based on self-reported and official delinquency seriousness, covering ages 10–19, we identified five distinct delinquency trajectories differing in both level and change in seriousness over time: a nondelinquent, minor persisting, moderate desisting, serious persisting, and serious desisting trajectory. More serious delinquents tended to more frequently engage in delinquency, and to report a higher proportion of theft. Proportionally, serious persistent delinquents were the most violent of all trajectory groups. Using cluster analysis we identified three parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian (moderately supportive), and neglectful (punishing). Controlling for demographic characteristics and childhood delinquency, neglectful parenting was more frequent in moderate desisters, serious persisters, and serious desisters, suggesting that parenting styles differentiate non- or minor delinquents from more serious delinquents.

La prévention du crime par le développement social : une stratégie à la recherche d’une synthèse

This article addresses the potential of the notion of crime prevention through social developmnent (CPSD) to contribute to the creation and implementation of a comprehensive crime prevention strategy. CPSD shares the commitment to a proactive orientation, community participation and partnerships which are common to all versions of prevention. However, the concept incorporates different options.The article discusses three: the developmental version, with its focus on persistent delinquents; the social version with its concentration on rates of crime and victimization; and the communtiy version, with its concern with the problem of mobilization for action.The article concludes that a synthesis of these approaches is possible, but that this is not the equivalent of a comprehensive strategy; other elements must be included.

Adolescence-limited versus persistent delinquency: Extending Moffitt's hypothesis into adulthood.

The authors examined how neuropsychological, personality, and environmental risk factors and their interactions were related to trajectories of delinquent behavior from adolescence to adulthood. Four waves of longitudinal data from 698 male participants, ages 12-18 at Time 1 and ages 25-31 at Time 4, were included in the analyses. Using a growth mixture model approach, 4 trajectories were identified: nondelinquents, adolescence-limited delinquents, adolescence-to-adulthood-persistent delinquents, and escalating delinquents. Five risk factors distinguished escalating from persistent delinquents and 5 also distinguished nondelinquents from the 3 delinquency trajectories. Persistent delinquents scored significantly higher than adolescence-limited delinquents on only one risk factor, disinhibition. Overall, few of the factors that are related to childhood-to-adolescence persistence were associated with persistence in delinquency beyond adolescence.

Adolescence-limited versus persistent delinquency: extending Moffitt's hypothesis into adulthood.

The authors examined how neuropsychological, personality, and environmental risk factors and their interactions were related to trajectories of delinquent behavior from adolescence to adulthood. Four waves of longitudinal data from 698 male participants, ages 12-18 at Time 1 and ages 25-31 at Time 4, were included in the analyses. Using a growth mixture model approach, 4 trajectories were identified: nondelinquents, adolescence-limited delinquents, adolescence-to-adulthood-persistent delinquents, and escalating delinquents. Five risk factors distinguished escalating from persistent delinquents and 5 also distinguished nondelinquents from the 3 delinquency trajectories. Persistent delinquents scored significantly higher than adolescence-limited delinquents on only one risk factor, disinhibition. Overall, few of the factors that are related to childhood-to-adolescence persistence were associated with persistence in delinquency beyond adolescence.

Developmental Aspects of Delinquency and Internalizing Problems and Their Association With Persistent Juvenile Substance Use Between Ages 7 and 18

Analyzed longitudinal data from 3 samples of the Pittsburgh Youth Study on boys ages 7 to 18 to examine the co-occurrence of persistent substance use with other problem behaviors, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), persistent delinquency, and persistent internalizing problems (i.e., depressed mood, anxiety, shy or withdrawn behavior). In preadolescence, persistent substance users also tended to be persistent delinquents, and half of this group displayed persistent internalizing problems as well. In adolescence, a third of the persistent substance users did not manifest other persistent problems. Across the samples, the least common substance users were those who manifested persistent internalizing problems only. Logistic regression analyses showed that persistent substance use in preadolescence was predicted by persistent delinquency and internalizing problems and in adolescence by persistent delinquency only. The combination of persistent substance use and delinquency was predicted by oppositional defiant disorder in middle childhood and by persistent internalizing problems in middle to late childhood. ADHD was not a predictor of persistent substance use (and delinquency) in any of the analyses. Results are discussed in terms of developmental models of multiproblem youth with an eye on improving early interventions.