Children, Risk and Crime: The On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys

• NCJ Number: 209444
• Author(s): Derrick Armstrong; Jean Hine; Sue Hacking; Remos Armaos; Roy Jones; Nicolai Klessinger; Alan France
• Date Published: January 2005
• Length: 124 pages
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Home Office Research Study 278; downloaded April 13, 2005.

Annotation

This report presents findings from the On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys, which targeted children ages 4 to 12 years and their families who resided in 24 high deprivation/high crime areas in England and Wales (On Track areas).

Abstract

The On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys collected self-report data on 4 main domains: family, schools, community, and individual/peer factors from more than 30,000 primary and secondary school students likely residing in On Track areas. The purpose of the survey was to collect baseline data on risk factors, protective factors, and self-reported deviance among children residing in On Track areas. Nine main behavior problems were identified from the secondary school survey which fell into two main categories: (1) substance use, and (2) anti-social and offending behaviors. A full 61 percent of respondents reported alcohol use and smoking was reported among 19 percent of the girls and 12 percent of the boys. Reports of stealing increased dramatically with age: 19 percent of 7th year students reported stealing compared to 34 percent of 10th and 11th year students. Girls were as likely to commit acts of vandalism as boys, 32 percent compared with 33 percent, respectively. However, boys (17 percent) were twice as likely to be expelled from secondary schools as girls (8 percent). Differences in expulsion rates also emerged by race: 20 percent of Blacks, compared with 12 percent of Whites reported being expelled from school during the past 12 months. Results of logistic regression analyses regarding risk and protective factors indicated that the most significant risk factors included peer involvement in problem behavior and having conflictual attitudes. Other risk factors included community disorganization and neglect and being male. Protective factors included family attachment and parental supervision, commitment to school, and neighborhood attachment. Further analysis is needed on the two main risk factors identified in this study. Figures, tables, appendixes, references