Children and the Law: How Does Early Contact with Law Enforcement Predict Severity and Frequency of Offending Later in Life?

Based on observations recorded through police contact, this study examined the influence of individual and environmental factors on predicting involvement in offence type categories (Non-Violent; Violent; Sexual) in samples of children before and after the age of criminal responsibility (age 12). The sample comprised 2,862 Canadians (1,732; 61% male and 1,123; 39% female) between the ages of 0 and 18, with law enforcement contact prior to the age of 12. A larger proportion of males in both the under 12 and over 12 samples were in the Non-Violent Offence type than the other two offence types. However, more females over 12 were in Violent Offence type than the other two offence types. Various factors emerged as predictors that were differentially influential for males versus females in the under 12 and over 12 categories. Mental Health, Age of First Contact, Alcohol/Drug Use and Violence in the Home were predictors for different offence types for males and females in the under 12 sample. In the over 12 sample the following predictors emerged: Alcohol/Drug Use; Age of First Contact; and Child Welfare Concerns differently for males and females in the Violent and Sexual groups. Further, different variables predicted changes in group membership after age 12 and a high rate of desisters was observed. Across all under 12 offence types, a high proportion of desisters was observed. This study addresses several gaps in the extant literature: onset of criminal behaviour prior to the age of criminal responsibility (age 12); differential law enforcement contacts (i.e., witness, victim, and perpetrator); escalation in offence severity; concentration on rural policing areas and Saskatchewan First Nations communities.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral -- first

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Experimental and Applied Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Audette, Kim Ellen

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Oriet, Chris
• Price, Heather

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sharpe, Donald
• Wright, Kristi
• Watkinson, Ailsa

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/3978

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/14477