B4311 - Youth Criminal Activity and Desistance from Crime the role of protective early social and educational factors - 03/05/2023

B number: 
B4311
Principal applicant name: 
Alison Teyhan | University of Bristol
Co-applicants: 
Dr Rosie Cornish, Prof. Iain Brennan, Mary Cerkvenik
Title of project: 
Youth Criminal Activity and Desistance from Crime: the role of protective early social and educational factors
Proposal summary: 

Most research on youth criminal behaviour and recidivism (the tendency for an offender to reoffend) focuses on risk factors, and the literature often describes protective effects of the lack of a risk factor. However, the absence of a risk factor is not inherently protective and a deeper understanding of protective factors is useful in designing public health interventions. Protective factors explored in the literature are: social and emotional support, family support and connectedness, engagement in religious activities, school connectedness, and educational attainment. While there is some initial evidence suggesting these factors are protective against crime and/or promote desistance, this evidence is limited and much of it comes from adult samples and samples outside the UK. This project will use ALSPAC data to examine the role of early life and educational factors in protecting young people from offending, and in promoting desistance.

Impact of research: 
This is a Masters student project. We hope that the results will be suitable to write-up for peer-reviewed publication, and if so, this study would provide evidence for the role of protective factors in the prevention of youth criminality. This would help inform evidence-based interventions.
Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 19 April, 2023
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 24 April, 2023
Keywords: 
Criminology Public Health, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Computer simulations/modelling/algorithms, Crime Offending Protective Desistance