title: Childhood predictors of male criminality: a prospective population-based follow-up study from age 8 to late adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study childhood predictors for late adolescence criminality.
  
  
  METHODS
  The follow-up sample included 2,713 Finnish boys born in 1981. Information about the 8-year-old boy' problem behavior was obtained from parents, teachers, and the children themselves. The follow-up information about criminal offenses was based on the national police register between the years 1998 and 2001 when the subjects were 16 to 20 years old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the national police register, 22.2% of boys had at least one criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation during the 4-year study period. Living in nonintact family, low parental education level, parent reports of conduct problems, and teacher reports of hyperkinetic problems when the child was 8 independently predicted a high level (more than five) of offenses. Living in nonintact family at age 8 predicted all types of criminal offenses. Low parental education level and parent or teacher reports of conduct problems independently predicted violence, property, traffic, and drunk driving offenses. Teacher reports of hyperkinetic problems independently predicted all types of criminal offenses except drunk driving. Self-reports of bullying others independently predicted violent offenses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Living in a broken home, low parental education level, conduct problems, and hyperactivity in middle childhood predict criminal offenses in late adolescence. Efforts to prevent later criminality already in childhood are emphasized.
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. andre.sourander@utu.fi
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Sourander
authors: Hendrik
authors: H
authors: Elonheimo
authors: Solja
authors: S
authors: Niemela
authors: Ari-Matti
authors: AM
authors: Nuutila
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Helenius
authors: Louri
authors: L
authors: Sillanmaki
authors: Jorma
authors: J
authors: Piha
authors: Tuula
authors: T
authors: Tamminen
authors: Kirsti
authors: K
authors: Kumpulainen
authors: Irma
authors: I
authors: Moilenen
authors: Frederik
authors: F
authors: Almqvist