Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health has found that living with persistent poverty and/or parental mental illness during childhood may double the risk of carrying or using a weapon and getting involved in legal trouble by the age of 17. These factors could account for nearly one in three cases of weapon use or carriage and over a quarter of police contact among 17-year-olds nationwide, according to the study’s estimates.
Youth crime and violence are common globally. In England and Wales, for instance, 104,400 first-time offenders were recorded in the criminal justice system in 2020, with 11% of them aged 10 to 17.
Given that risk factors tend to cluster, the researchers aimed to assess the extent to which early exposure to poverty and family adversities could contribute to youth violence, crime, and contact with the justice system. They analyzed long-term data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, which tracked 9,316 children whose exposure to family adversities and household poverty was reported from birth to age 14.
At 17, the teens were surveyed about whether they had carried or used a weapon, such as a knife, and/or had come into contact with the police, which included being stopped, questioned, formally warned or cautioned, or arrested. The study found that the overall prevalence of weapon use/carriage was just over 6%, while 20% had experienced police contact.
The analysis revealed that children exposed to poverty and family adversity throughout their lives had a significantly higher likelihood of engaging in violence and criminal justice involvement in their teenage years. Nearly 9% of teens exposed to persistent poverty and poor parental mental health carried or used a weapon, while 28% had police contact. This compares to 5% and 17%, respectively, of those not raised in such an environment.
After adjusting for potentially influential factors, such as maternal ethnic background and educational attainment, the study found that teens exposed to persistent poverty and parental mental illness were twice as likely to carry/use a weapon and report police contact. Additionally, they were more than five times as likely to be arrested or taken into police custody, three times as likely to be warned or cautioned by the police, and twice as likely to be stopped and questioned.
Based on these findings and population estimates, the researchers suggest that persistent poverty and family adversity account for approximately 32% of all cases of weapon use or carriage and 23% of all police contact among 17-year-olds in the UK.
While the study is observational and does not establish cause and effect, the researchers provide compelling evidence that persistent adversity throughout childhood is strongly linked to an increased risk of involvement in violence and contact with the police in adolescence. They emphasize the importance of early intervention and support for families experiencing poverty and mental health challenges.
The researchers advocate for a comprehensive, multi-sector approach to addressing these issues, focusing on early intervention in schools, communities, healthcare systems, and the legal system. By addressing these challenges early in a child’s life, society could help reduce risk-taking behaviors in adolescence and improve long-term outcomes for young people.
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