Child and Adolescent Offending

Developmental approaches

Approaches that emphasise the role of independent and psychological factors in the onset of delinquency, as well as the importance of early risk and protective factors in the comprehension of future delinquency.

Age-crime curve

A crucial phenomenon in the study of young offenders, with the overall rate of offending increasing in late adolescence and gradually decreasing in the twenties.

Criminal careers

Factors such as age of commencement, frequency, flexibility, seriousness, longevity, and desistance characterise criminal careers.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as "every human being under the age of 18 years, unless the law applicable to the child provides for earlier attainment of majority."

Juvenile courts

The legal age limitations adopted by juvenile courts differ from country to country.

Age of criminal liability

The age of criminal liability varies globally between 6 and 18, and is 10 in England and Wales.

Adolescent justice policy and practice

International comparisons of adolescent justice policy and practice have examined parallels and differences, but a localised perspective is required to comprehend the cultural, legal, and historical evolution of youth justice.

Adolescent independence and individuality

Adolescents' tendency to participate in risky behavior due to their independent and individual nature.

Juvenile Delinquency

The participation of minors in illegal behavior or activities.

Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime

A study that found that the majority of adolescents "outgrow" risky behaviors, and only a minority with additional risk factors persist in antisocial or criminal behavior.

Cohort Follow-Up

A research method that examines the onset and development of delinquent and criminal behaviors.

Poor Parenting

A parenting style that includes harsh or irregular discipline, neglectful parental attitudes, parental conflicts, and lax supervision during childhood.

Low IQ and Poor Focus

Personal factors associated with delinquent and criminal behavior, including low IQ, poor focus, and hyperactivity.

Home Environment

The physical and emotional environment of a child's home, which can impact their likelihood of engaging in delinquent or criminal behavior.

Low-Class Backgrounds

A background associated with a higher likelihood of participating in "serious violence-linked behaviors," according to a study conducted for the Home Office.

Protective factor study

A study that examines positive strengths or qualities that decrease the probability of offending.

Protective factors

Positive strengths or qualities that decrease the probability of offending.

Risk assessments

The evaluation of potential risks and hazards.

Balanced viewpoint

A viewpoint that considers both positive and negative aspects.

Coercive Behaviour

Behaviour that is forceful, controlling, or disruptive, which is not properly addressed by parents or carers in young children, leading to the growth of antisocial behaviour.

Attachment Theory

A framework used to describe the developmental pathways of many outcomes, focusing on the emotional bonds between children and their parents or carers. Children with insecure emotional bonds are more prone to develop negative self-perception and view others negatively.

Moffitt's Developmental Theory

A theory that describes two types of offenders: limited adolescents and persistent adults, based on the idea that antisocial behaviour has an onset, duration, and desistence.

Life Course Theory

A theory that emphasises the evolution of informal social control, such as social ties to family, friends, school, and the workplace, and how it affects criminal behaviour.

Peek Onset

The age range of 13 to 16, during which individuals are more prone to engage in criminal behaviour due to previously identified risk factors.

Prosocial Activities

Activities that promote positive social behaviour, such as volunteering, community service, or helping others.

"Child first, offender second" model

A justice model adopted by the British government in 2018 that prioritizes the personal circumstances and needs of juvenile offenders to prevent future offenses.

Primary prevention

The first level of intervention in the "child first, offender second" model that includes informational pamphlets, summer activities, and curricula aimed at improving communication skills, conflict resolution, social skills, and resistance to negative peer pressure.

Secondary prevention

The second level of intervention in the "child first, offender second" model that targets at-risk children to mitigate risk factors that could lead to violence or potential harm.

Family-centered intervention

Intervention programs that provide parenting intervention to families with at-risk children, such as the video-based behavioural parenting interventions developed by Webster-Stratton and her colleagues in the United States.

Trauma-informed approach

An approach to interagency collaboration in the United Kingdom that prioritizes the needs of children who have experienced trauma and aims to create a safe and supportive environment for them.