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Why do some maltreated youth become juvenile offenders? A call for further investigation and adaptation of youth services
- Author:
- BENDER Kimberley
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 32(3), March 2010, pp.466-473.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Experiencing maltreatment is an established risk factor for delinquency. The pattern whereby victimised children commit subsequent violence or delinquent behaviour has been termed the Cycle of Violence, but little is known about how this cycle is perpetuated. Development of services that effectively prevent maltreated youth from becoming delinquent is contingent upon a more comprehensive model explicating the experiences youth face on their paths from maltreatment to delinquency. This paper utilises the latest empirical evidence to propose a diagram detailing pathways from maltreatment to delinquency through potential intervening risk factors, including substance abuse, mental health problems, school difficulties, negative peer networks, and running away from home. Hypothesised gender differences in pathways from maltreatment to delinquency are delineated. Implications for adaptation of child welfare and juvenile justice services to address the link between maltreatment and delinquency are discussed. The paper calls for testing and refining of the proposed pathways from maltreatment to delinquency in order to advance understanding of these complex relationships.