NCJ Number
125913
Date Published
1990
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This paper is primarily concerned with the later delinquent and criminal outcomes of boys characterized by hyperactivity-impulsivity-attention (HIA) deficit problems.
Abstract
Data were obtained from a prospective longitudinal survey of 411 British boys. The research objective was to examine HIA and conduct problems (CP) and measure factors alleged to be causes or correlates of offending. Most information was derived from direct contact with subjects, but some information was obtained from interviews with the boys' parents and teachers. All measures of HIA and CP significantly predicted juvenile convictions between 10 and 16 years of age. Further, HIA predicted juvenile convictions independently of CP and vice versa, and these two factors had additive effects. HIA, however, did not predict juvenile convictions independently of CP or criminal parents. Hence, criminal parents, HIA, and juvenile convictions may be part of the same causal or developmental sequence. HIA and CP had quite a different pattern of relationships to major background factors. HIA was particularly related to criminal parents, low intelligence, and large family size, while CP was especially related to poor supervision and poor parenting. HIA was predictive of early convictions, while CP was more predictive of self-reported delinquency, adult convictions, and recidivism. 54 references and 5 tables.