Franklin E. Zimring

Peter W. Greenwood

This report presents the findings and recommendations of a study on effective interventions for chronic juvenile offenders. Five groups of factors are predictive of future offending: family factors such as poor parenting skills and parental pathology or criminality; biological deficits such as birth defects or learning disability; parental attitudes, supervision, and affection; antisocial and acting-out behaviours; and delinquency history. Using these predictor variables, chronic offenders can be identified at about age 13 with about 50-percent accuracy. Promising programs for chronic delinquents provide opportunities for success and improved self-esteem, facilitate familial bonds, provide timely and accurate feedback on behaviours, and reduce or eliminate negative role models and peer influences. Programs based on isolation in remote wilderness settings and physical challenges show some promise. Preventive programming for high-risk youths who have not yet committed criminal acts must take place within the educational system or community, and promising programs include early education programs such as Headstart, parent training, and some educational programs. The economic benefits intervention to both offenders and society of early are emphasized.

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