NCJ Number
238296
Date Published
April 2012
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper from the Australian Institute of Criminology discusses the emerging field of research focusing specifically on the oral language skills of high-risk young people in Australia.
Abstract
This paper examines the growing body of research that has identified oral language competence as a risk/protective factor in the developmental years of at-risk youth. The evidence points to the idea that a young person's oral language competence acquired early in life can act as a protective factor that reduces the risk of offending as they progress through adolescence. Oral language competence is identified as the set of listening and talking skills that are usually acquired in a steady developmental trajectory from birth onwards. The paper begins with an overview of oral language competence and why it is important in the lives of young people. This is followed by a discussion of what the current literature contains regarding early psycho-social risk and language development. The paper also identifies four key domains where oral language competence has significant implications for young male offenders. These domains include early identification of high-risk boys with learning and behavior problems, interventions within the youth justice system, restorative justice conferencing in both justice and education contexts, and forensic interviewing. References