Sample Of Youthful Offenders Research Articles

The age-graded effects of psychosocial maturity on legal socialization across the adolescent developmental course in youth offenders

This study, using a sample of youth offenders from the Pathways to Desistance Study (N = 1354), examines Greenberger and Sorensen’s model of “psychosocial maturity” as a predictor of legal socialization (legal cynicism and legitimacy) across the adolescent developmental course, as well as the differential importance of this relationship by age. Psychosocial maturity significantly predicted lower levels of legal cynicism, but also lower levels of legitimacy, from ages 14–25. Yet, when considering the salience of these relationships by age, results suggest that the relationship between psychosocial maturity and legitimacy may show little variation as adolescent offenders age, but that the salience of psychosocial maturity on explaining patterns of legal cynicism declines with age during development into emerging adulthood. This work’s potential implications for promising interventions that foster psychosocial maturity in early adolescence to reduce legal cynicism of youth who have offended or are at high-risk of offending are discussed.

Validation of the Measure of Delinquent Social Identity Among Youth Offenders in the UK

ABSTRACTThe current study aimed to develop and validate the Measure of Delinquent Social Identity (MDSI). Dimensionality and construct validity of the MDSI was investigated in a sample of youth offenders (N = 536). Four alternative models of the MDSI were estimated using Mplus. The model identified as being the best fit for the data was a bifactor model with three dimensions (cognitive centrality, in-group affect, in-group ties) while controlling for the general factor. The three subscales differentially correlated with criminal friend index, self-esteem, parental attachment, and peer rejection. Limitations and advantages, including practical implications, of the current research are discussed.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempt: Prevalence and Predictors in a Sample of Youth Offenders in the UK

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of suicide attempts (SA), suicidal ideation (SI), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) within a sample of community-based youth offenders (M age = 15.33 years) engaging with a Youth Offending Team (YOT). Findings revealed the highest prevalence rates for NSSI (20.6%), followed by SI (12.7%), and SA (5.9%). SA and SI were significantly correlated with trauma exposure, self-esteem, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). NSSI formed significant associations with trauma, self-esteem, and gender. The results offer further insight into the risk factors of SA, SI, and NSSI in an under-researched population.

Head Injuries and Changes in Delinquency from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

Objectives: The current study examines whether head injuries suffered earlier in the life course are associated with subsequent changes in self-control and delinquency. Methods: Latent growth curve models and path analysis are used to analyze the developmental trajectories of self-control and delinquency as well as the potential associations between head injury, self-control, and delinquency among a sample of youth offenders from the pathways to desistance study. Results: The results revealed significant associations between head injuries and short-term changes in self-control and subsequent increases in aggressive delinquency. Indirect pathway models revealed that lower levels of self-control significantly mediated the association between head injuries and starting levels in aggressive delinquency. The association between head injuries and changes in aggressive delinquency was also significantly mediated by self-control, but the association was negative, indicating that youth who previously suffered head injuries desisted from aggressive delinquency at a slightly faster rate than their noninjured peers. Additional analyses revealed that, despite accelerated rates of decline, injured youth engaged in significantly higher levels of aggressive delinquency throughout the entire observation period. Conclusion: Head injuries represent one environmental factor that may influence delinquent behaviors through their influence on biological and developmental processes.

Gang affiliation, aggression, and violent offending in a sample of youth offenders

Gang affiliation, aggression, and violent offending were examined in case files of 390 youth offenders aged between 16 and 18 years. Results indicated that youth offenders who were gang members and those who were not gang members but exposed to friends in gangs had a significantly higher likelihood of violent offending compared with a reference group of youth offenders who had neither gang affiliation nor friends in gangs. Additionally, youth offenders who had friends in gangs but were themselves not gang members had a lower likelihood of violent offending than youth offenders who were gang members. Finally, results showed that a history of aggressive behavior was significantly associated with violent offending. Implications such as the need to address the influence of delinquent peers and need to address the management of anger and aggression in youths will be discussed. Also, findings point towards the need for prevention and early intervention work.

Violent Onset Offenders: Do Initial Experiences Shape Criminal Career Dimensions?

Research on criminal careers has increased in scope and sophistication over the past 15 years. One interesting aspect of criminal career research concerns the role of offending onset and whether it influences other criminal career dimensions. Although most prior research in this area has been concerned with the timing of offending onset, few studies have addressed whether the nature of initial offending shapes future criminal activity. The current study examines this issue for violence using data drawn from a sample of youthful offenders in Queensland, Australia. The key question addressed is whether offenders who onset with violence have distinct criminal career dimensions from offenders whose initial offending involves nonviolence. Specifically, the study examines whether violent onset offenders have more frequent, chronic, serious, and persistent criminal careers. Moreover, we explore whether this relationship is influenced by the timing of onset (early vs. late). Implications are discussed in light of current theories and research on criminal careers.

An Investigation of Risk and Protective Factors in a Sample of Youthful Offenders

The study explored a set of potential risk and protective factors in relation to criminal activity and adjustment with a group of delinquent youths. The results indicated, first, that risk variables reflecting family relationship and parenting problems were associated with heightened rates of re-offending and lower overall adjustment. Second, the presence of protective factors relating to positive peer relations, good school achievement, positive response to authority and effective use of leisure time was associated with more positive outcomes with controls for the risk variables. Third, there was no evidence of interaction between risk and protective factors; the latter operated similarly at low and high levels of risk. These results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and applied significance.