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Aggressive and Non-Prosocial Behaviors as Precursors of Criminality

NCJ Number
154191
Journal
Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (1995) Pages: 6-21
Author(s)
M Hamalainen; L Pulkkinen
Date Published
1995
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed the role of early aggressiveness and non- prosocial behavior in the formation of a criminal career among 196 boys and 173 girls who were born in Finland in 1959, and interviewed at ages 8, 14, 20, 27, and 32.
Abstract
The findings showed that extreme male aggressiveness in childhood was related to frequent and serious criminality as well as an early age of onset of criminal behavior. The results between the onset groups supported the idea of different pathways of antisocial development. The juvenile delinquents exhibited a variety of problem behaviors, including anxiety, disobedience, withdrawal, and restlessness. Criminal men were more aggressive than non-criminal men independent of the type of aggression. Both criminal women and men were lower in submissiveness than their non- criminal counterparts. The study also showed that low school success at age 8 predicted later criminality in women. 5 tables and 37 references