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Childhood Predictors of Adult Criminality: Are All Risk Factors Reflected in Childhood Aggressiveness?

NCJ Number
201934
Journal
Criminal Behavior and Mental Health Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: 2002 Pages: 185-208
Author(s)
L. Rowell Huesmann; Leonard D. Eron; Eric F. Dubow
Date Published
2002
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article discusses family background and early aggressive behavior as a predictor of adult criminality.
Abstract
This study examined the degree to which family background variables, parental beliefs and behavior, and child intelligence predict child aggression and adult criminality. A 1959-1960 longitudinal study of 856 children in third grade in New York, called the Colombia County Longitudinal Study, provided the data. Adult measures of criminal behavior, child measures taken at age 8, child peer-nominated aggression, child’s peer-nominated popularity, child’s IQ, and parental measures at 8 years were used. The results showed that aggressive children were less intelligent, less popular, rejected more by their parents, had parents that believed in punishment, were less identified with their parents’ self-image, and were less likely to express guilt. As adults, more aggressive children with parents that were less well educated, experienced more marital disharmony, and that seldom attended church were most at risk for arrest. Boys whose parents attended church more frequently when the boys were 8 years old were less at risk for criminality as adults than equally aggressive 8 year old boys whose parents attended church less frequently. These results suggest that how aggressively children behave by age 8 is the best predictor of how likely they are over the next 22 years to be arrested, how many times they will be arrested, how serious will be their crimes, how many times they will be convicted, and how long they will serve in prison. Preventive interventions need to target risk factors that appear to influence the development of early aggression. 7 tables, 48 references