Defining the Scope of Very Young Offenders

• Serious child delinquents who have committed one or more of the following acts: homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, rape, or serious arson.

• Other child delinquents (excluding serious delinquents).

• Children showing persistent disruptive behavior (including truancy and incorrigibility), who are at risk of offending.

Figure 3:    Relationship Between Risk/Protective Factors, Development of Child Problem Behavior, and Interventions Source: Loeber and Farrington, 2001.

Generations of studies in criminology show that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Children showing persistent disruptive behavior are likely to become child delinquents and, in turn, child delinquents are likely to become serious, violent, or chronic juvenile offenders. Figure 3 summarizes the relationship between the three categories of youth behavior that are of greatest concern.

In more than 20 studies they reviewed, the Study Group found a significant relationship between an early onset of delinquency and later crime and delinquency. Child delinquents, compared with juveniles with a later onset of delinquency, are at greater risk of becoming serious, violent, and chronic offenders and have longer delinquency careers (Espiritu et al., 2001; Farrington, Lambert, and West, 1998; Krohn et al., 2001; Loeber, 1982, 1988; Loeber and Farrington, 1998b; Moffitt, 1993).

Table 1:	Average Age of Onset of Problem Behaviors and Delinquency in Male Juveniles
Note: The table shows the average age of onset of problem behaviors and delinquency for males who had their first contact with the juvenile court for an Index offense. Data are based on the statements of the oldest sample in the Pittsburgh Youth Study and on statements made by their mothers. *Index offenses include murder, robbery, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft, and arson. Source: Loeber and Farrington, 1998b.

Not all disruptive children will become child delinquents, and not all child delinquents will become serious, violent, or chronic juvenile offenders. However, the majority of the eventual serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders have a history of problem behaviors that goes back to the childhood years. Research shows that the antisocial careers of male juvenile offenders start, on average, at age 7, much earlier than the average age of first court contact for Crime Index offenses, which is age 14.5 (see table 1). Because it is not yet possible to accurately predict which children will progress from serious problem behaviors to delinquency, it is better to tackle problem behaviors before they become more serious and ingrained.

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Child Delinquency: Early Intervention and Prevention	Child Delinquency Bulletin • May 2003