Not All At-Risk Boys Have Bad Outcomes: Predictors of Later Life Success

Abstract

Scholars have recently identified protective factors that decrease the effects of risk factors on later offending. Others have investigated how offending risk factors affect other life outcomes, such as employment and health. The current study combined these areas to identify protective factors that predicted life success through mid-adulthood. The Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development was used to identify risk-based and interactive protective factors for later life success among males at risk for poor life success. Across three risk conceptualizations, several protective factors were identified that predicted life success in a variety of domains at age 48. This research indicates that early childhood interventions may not only help reduce future offending but also increase the child’s chances of doing well in other life domains.

Criminal Behavior and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Brazilian Adolescent Offenders: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis

“…The emphasis on risk factors generates risk profiles, which could be different if, in the clustering, aspects that can moderate the risk were taken into account. Craig, Piquero and Farrington [ 12 ] verified that high verbal IQ, school attachment, low hyperactivity, high parental engagement and adequate supervision were shown to be predictors of success in adulthood for individuals who, as children, were classified as belonging to a group at a high risk for delinquency.…”

“…However, there is evidence that adolescents who are in the juvenile justice system constitute a heterogeneous group in terms of the problems presented, both regarding the pattern of deviant behavior and in relation to their criminogenic needs [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Thus, the effectiveness of the interventions in this field is conditioned by the adequacy of the contents and the intensity of an intervention towards the characteristics and needs of the target population, i.e., to the customization of the educational/therapeutic monitoring offered to adolescents [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Complementary contribution of social capital accessible from friends to achievement in life

“…How people's achievement or success in life benefits from their friendship has been empirically ambiguous, as friendship has not been uniformly beneficial (Cheung and Kam 2013;Craig et al 2020). Such achievement involves solving problems, attaining goals, having outstanding performance, and being resilient to adversity or coping well (Craig et al 2020;Spengler et al 2018). Enhancing life achievement conceivably requires the strengthening of resources, possibly through social relations known as social capital (Craig et al 2020;Johnson et al 2015).…”

“…Such achievement involves solving problems, attaining goals, having outstanding performance, and being resilient to adversity or coping well (Craig et al 2020;Spengler et al 2018). Enhancing life achievement conceivably requires the strengthening of resources, possibly through social relations known as social capital (Craig et al 2020;Johnson et al 2015). Herein, social capital means accessibility to resources through cohesive and trustworthy social networks (Johnson et al 2015;Kadushin 2002).…”

“…A fundamental view suggests that life achievement is valuable as a realization of potential or talent common to all people and as empowerment and emancipation (Swartz 2013). Essentially, these discourses maintain that people are capable to engage in empowerment, emancipation, and various tasks to counter adversities and secure achievement in work and life generally (Craig et al 2020;Swartz 2013). Such achievement would make an integral life for the people (Greeff and van der Merwe 2004).…”