An upbringing to violence? Identifying the likelihood of violent crime among the 1966 birth cohort in Denmark

Abstract

Why do some boys develop into troublesome youths who eventually get sentenced for violent crimes? In planning a strategy to fight violent crime, it is important to identify significant risk factors for violent criminal behaviour among adolescents and young men. In this study information from population-based registers covers various aspects both for children, aged between 15 and 27 years, and their parents: health (mental and physical), education, social networks, family violence, self-destructive behaviour, parental alcohol or drug abuse, and unemployment. First-time convicted offenders have an increased risk of coming from seriously disadvantaged families; they also seem to be characterized by unstable education and employment records (e.g. not graduating, no vocational training), occasional work, or long-term unemployment.

Keywords:

• Youth Unemployment
• Vocational Training
• Family Violence
• Alcohol Abuse
• Family Separation
• Teenage Motherhood
• Psychiatric Illnesses
• Children In Care
• Longitudinal Study