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Offending Trajectories in Violent Offenders : Criminal History and Early Life Risk Factors

Tärnhäll, André LU orcid ; Björk, Jonas LU ; Wallinius, Märta LU ; Gustafsson, Peik LU orcid and Hofvander, Björn LU (2023) In International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 67(2-3). p.270-290
Abstract

The understanding of offending, and thus its possible prevention, is expanded through longitudinal studies on criminal trajectories depicting early life risk factors. This longitudinal study aimed to explore criminal trajectories, criminal histories, and early life risk factors in a cohort of violent offenders. A Swedish nationally representative cohort of male violent offenders (n = 266), clinically assessed while imprisoned aged 18 to 25, was followed through national registers from age 15 to 25–34. Substantial differences in criminal histories between violent offenders and a matched comparison group (n = 10,000) were demonstrated. Five trajectory groups were identified: four persisting and one desisting. Although differences were... (More)

The understanding of offending, and thus its possible prevention, is expanded through longitudinal studies on criminal trajectories depicting early life risk factors. This longitudinal study aimed to explore criminal trajectories, criminal histories, and early life risk factors in a cohort of violent offenders. A Swedish nationally representative cohort of male violent offenders (n = 266), clinically assessed while imprisoned aged 18 to 25, was followed through national registers from age 15 to 25–34. Substantial differences in criminal histories between violent offenders and a matched comparison group (n = 10,000) were demonstrated. Five trajectory groups were identified: four persisting and one desisting. Although differences were observed between persisting trajectory groups, a higher prevalence of early life risk factors was generally displayed compared to the desisting, especially in conduct problems and experiences of out-of-home placements. Neurocognitive ability and prevalence of ADHD and autism were similar across trajectories. Severe early life risks highlight the population’s need for early interventions.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
criminal behavior, group-based modeling, longitudinal, risk factors, violent offenders
in
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
volume
67
issue
2-3
pages
21 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • pmid:35435040
  • scopus:85129252298
ISSN
0306-624X
DOI
10.1177/0306624X221086565
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dad33d26-ccf5-4a37-bd3f-fb3245eb35a1
date added to LUP
2022-08-15 09:48:49
date last changed
2024-11-01 08:51:02
@article{dad33d26-ccf5-4a37-bd3f-fb3245eb35a1,
  abstract     = {{<p>The understanding of offending, and thus its possible prevention, is expanded through longitudinal studies on criminal trajectories depicting early life risk factors. This longitudinal study aimed to explore criminal trajectories, criminal histories, and early life risk factors in a cohort of violent offenders. A Swedish nationally representative cohort of male violent offenders (n = 266), clinically assessed while imprisoned aged 18 to 25, was followed through national registers from age 15 to 25–34. Substantial differences in criminal histories between violent offenders and a matched comparison group (n = 10,000) were demonstrated. Five trajectory groups were identified: four persisting and one desisting. Although differences were observed between persisting trajectory groups, a higher prevalence of early life risk factors was generally displayed compared to the desisting, especially in conduct problems and experiences of out-of-home placements. Neurocognitive ability and prevalence of ADHD and autism were similar across trajectories. Severe early life risks highlight the population’s need for early interventions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tärnhäll, André and Björk, Jonas and Wallinius, Märta and Gustafsson, Peik and Hofvander, Björn}},
  issn         = {{0306-624X}},
  keywords     = {{criminal behavior; group-based modeling; longitudinal; risk factors; violent offenders}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2-3}},
  pages        = {{270--290}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology}},
  title        = {{Offending Trajectories in Violent Offenders : Criminal History and Early Life Risk Factors}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221086565}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0306624X221086565}},
  volume       = {{67}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}