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Association between behaviour at age 3 years and adult criminality
1Centre for Research into Psychological Development, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK. jsteven@psy.soton.ac.uk
Background:
The continuity in antisocial behaviour into adulthood from middle childhood is well established but it is not clear whether this is also true of the pre-school period.
Aims:
To determine whether pre-school behaviour problems increase the risk of later criminal convictions and add to risk associated with family and social circumstances.
Method:
The records of adult convictions were traced for a general population sample (n=828) initially assessed at age 3 years.
Results:
The risk of having any adult conviction was related to soiling, daytime enuresis, activity level and management difficulties, and that of having an adult violent offence to recent-onset daytime enuresis, management difficulties and temper tantrums. The only other predictors of later convictions were the child's gender and social competence at age 3 years.
Conclusions:
The presence of specific behaviour problems in the pre-school period places the child at increased risk of being convicted of an adult offence. Family and social circumstances at age 3 years did not predict later convictions.