title: Generic and crime type specific correlates of youth crime: a Finnish population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the psychosocial correlates of various crime types among adolescent males born in Finland in 1981.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on crime registered in the Finnish National Police Register between 1998 and 2001 were received for 2,866 boys, of whom 81% (n = 2,330) filled in a questionnaire at obligatory military call-up at age 18 in 1999. Crime was divided into five types: drug, violent, property, traffic, and drunk driving offences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2,866 boys, 23% had been registered for offending; 4% for drug, 7% for violent, 11% for property, 11% for traffic, and 5% for drunk driving offences during the 4-year period in late adolescence. All the crime types correlated with each other and shared many of the psychosocial problems. Small community size, parents' divorce, aggressiveness, daily smoking, and weekly drunkenness were generic correlates of crime, being independently related to various crime types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support general rather than specific accounts of youth crime. In particular, measures moderating the adverse effects of divorce, alleviating parental adversities and supporting parenthood, and tackling substance abuse seem relevant in social and criminal policy because they address psychosocial problems characterizing youth crime in general.
authors: Faculty of Law, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland. henelo@utu.fi
authors: Henrik
authors: H
authors: Elonheimo
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Sourander
authors: Solja
authors: S
authors: Niemelä
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Helenius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult