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Early Predictors of Male Delinquency: A Review

NCJ Number
135930
Journal
Psychological Bulletin Volume: 94 Issue: 1 Dated: (1983) Pages: 68-99
Author(s)
R Loeber; T Dishion
Date Published
1983
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A measure of predictive efficiency was selected and applied to studies of delinquency in order to identify variables from the literature that predict delinquency in adolescence or in early adulthood and to use the results of prediction data to demonstrate the utility function of predictors.
Abstract
Composite measures of parental family management techniques tended to be the most predictive of delinquency, followed by the child's problem behavior. Next came reports of the child's stealing, lying, or truancy, followed by criminality or antisocial behavior of family members and poor educational achievement of the child. The lowest ranking predictors were socioeconomic status and separation from parents. The best predictors of recidivism were reports of the child's stealing, lying, or truancy followed by the child's problem behavior or prior delinquency. In comparison, socioeconomic status was the worst predictor of recidivism. Data are presented to show the earliest age of the child at which these predictors have been measured. Results of the prediction data are used to demonstrate utility functions in which false positive and false negative errors are minimized. Recommendations are offered to improve prediction studies of criminality. 89 references, 8 notes, 11 tables, and 5 figures