The latest findings from the Edinburgh Study are published today.
The report is based on the latest phase of fieldwork, which involved interviews with cohort members, an online survey, and analysis of criminal records data.
Amongst the findings are that experiences of poverty and trauma in childhood were strongly associated with offending behaviour in adolescence and also going on to offend into early adulthood.
Nevertheless, many of those who were involved in serious offending were not known to the children’s hearings system or the adult criminal justice system.
While trauma in childhood was damaging, many of those who continued offending beyond age 25 had also experienced significant trauma in adulthood.
We recommend that policies need to be focused on prevention and early intervention, with specific strategies to tackle poverty and adversity.