NCJ Number
246729
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2014 Pages: 122-137
Date Published
April 2014
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the factors and characteristics that research has identified as being associated with juvenile crime and juvenile justice.
Abstract
This article presents the results of a review that identified factors and characteristics that are associated with juvenile crime and juvenile justice. The article presents an overview of studies examining the age-crime curve and the developmental trajectory of criminality that suggest that a small group of chronic, persistent, lifelong offenders start their aggressive antisocial behavior early in childhood, continuing to commit a higher number of offenses of greater severity, leading to a lifelong criminal career. The article also highlights studies that have identified a number of psychological disorders that can play a role in criminality, such as conduct disorder, attention-deficit disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder. Additional studies have identified predictors of juvenile aggression to include a low capacity for emotional and behavioral self-control and association with delinquent peers. Other factors that have been found to affect levels of juvenile crime include neuropsychological factors, peer influences, family factors, and child abuse and neglect by parents and caregivers. The article also presents highlights of studies that have identified characteristics of juvenile resilience, such as increased introspection, self-esteem, and self-insight that can improve and enhance a child's ability to cope. The final section of the article examines how these factors and characteristics play a role in the way juveniles are processed through the juvenile justice system. Table and references