What are the Long-Term Consequences of Having Been Convicted for a Crime in Youth?

Criminal behavior – violent and non-violent law-breaking behaviors – in youth ages 15 to 24 years is prevalent and post tremendous societal costs. Despite abundant research devoted to this important public health problem, little is known about the long-term consequences of criminal behavior in youth. 

The overarching goal of the proposed research project is to identify the long-term adverse outcomes of criminal behavior in youth.                                                                                   

The proposed research project will capitalize upon existing resources, including nationwide Swedish longitudinal registries in combination with cohort data from the Swedish Twin Register. These data sources contain detailed information about youth criminal behavior and public health relevant long-term outcomes that reflect real-world functioning in several important areas (e.g., psychosocial/sociodemographic factors, mental health and criminal behavior), as well as detailed information about potential explaining factors (e.g., mental health, resting heart rate and personality traits in youth). The goal of the proposed research project will be accomplished by using advanced epidemiological approaches, as well as quantitative genetic structural equation modeling.

The necessary knowledge provided by the proposed research project will not only guide future research, but will also provide innovative tools that will more efficiently guide prevention and intervention efforts.