IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v109y2020ics0190740919310588.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Patterns of criminal activity among residential care-leavers in South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • van Breda, Adrian D.

Abstract

Research on care-leaving internationally suggests that young adults with experience of residential or foster care are disproportionately likely to engage in criminal activity and to come into conflict with the law. There is, however, no research on this population in South Africa. This paper reports on a longitudinal study of young people transitioning out of care and journeying towards young adulthood over a period of five years. The sample included 51 participants who had had at least two (and up to five) interviews (spaced approximately a year apart) since leaving care. A mixed methods design was utilised to investigate their patterns of criminal engagement over time. Results suggest three patterns among this sample of care-leavers: those who are ‘crime free’, reporting no criminal activity over two or more post-care interviews (73% of the sample); those reporting ‘incidental crime’, viz. criminal activity in just one follow-up interview, with the crime being of low severity and seldom having conflict with the law (10% of participants); and those reporting ‘regular crime’, viz. criminal activity in two or more follow-up interviews, with more severe types of crime and greater likelihood of coming into conflict with the law (including being found guilty of a crime in court and spending a night or more in jail) and an increase in frequency and severity of crime over the years out of care (18% of participants). Findings are discussed in relation to international literature and implications for practice are proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • van Breda, Adrian D., 2020. "Patterns of criminal activity among residential care-leavers in South Africa," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:109:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919310588
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104706
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740919310588
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104706?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Crawford, Brandon & Pharris, Angela B. & Dorsett-Burrell, Rachel, 2018. "Risk of serious criminal involvement among former foster youth aging out of care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 451-457.
    2. Yoon, Miyoung & Bender, Anna E. & Park, Jiho, 2018. "The association between out-of-home placement and offending behavior among maltreated youth: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 263-281.
    3. Kääriälä, Antti & Hiilamo, Heikki, 2017. "Children in out-of-home care as young adults: A systematic review of outcomes in the Nordic countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 107-114.
    4. Berlin, Marie & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2011. "School performance in primary school and psychosocial problems in young adulthood among care leavers from long term foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 2489-2497.
    5. Barn, Ravinder & Tan, Jo-Pei, 2012. "Foster youth and crime: Employing general strain theory to promote understanding," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 212-220.
    6. McMahon, Robert C. & Fields, Samantha A., 2015. "Criminal conduct subgroups of “aging out” foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 14-19.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Karki, Suyen & Ryynänen, Olli-Pekka & Salokekkilä, Pirkko & Häggman-Laitila, Arja, 2023. "Bayesian analysis of the factors explaining the disruptive behaviour of care leavers: A retrospective document analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    2. Mendes, Philip & Martin, Robyn & Jasmin Jau, Ms & Jacinta Chavulak, Ms, 2023. "An analysis of the intersecting factors and needs that informed the experiences of young people transitioning from out of home care in the Australian states of Victoria and Western Australia," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karki, Suyen & Ryynänen, Olli-Pekka & Salokekkilä, Pirkko & Häggman-Laitila, Arja, 2023. "Bayesian analysis of the factors explaining the disruptive behaviour of care leavers: A retrospective document analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    2. Lindner, Abigail Rose & Hanlon, Ryan, 2024. "Outcomes of youth with foster care experiences based on permanency outcome – Adoption, aging out, long-term foster care, and reunification: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    3. Toivonen, Katri & Salokekkilä, Pirkko & Puustelli, Anne & Häggman-Laitila, Arja, 2020. "Somatic and mental symptoms, medical treatments and service use in aftercare – Document analysis of Finnish care leavers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    4. Sacker, Amanda & Lacey, Rebecca E. & Maughan, Barbara & Murray, Emily T., 2022. "Out-of-home care in childhood and socio-economic functioning in adulthood: ONS Longitudinal study 1971–2011," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    5. Borgen, Nicolai T. & Frønes, Ivar & Raaum, Oddbjørn, 2023. "Every tenth child: Heterogeneity in characteristics and life-course patterns among children in contact with child welfare services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Brännström, Lars & Karlsson, Henrik & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2018. "Childhood risk factors for disability pension among adult former Swedish child welfare clients: Same or different as for majority population peers?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 94-102.
    7. Refaeli, Tehila, 2017. "Narratives of care leavers: What promotes resilience in transitions to independent lives?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1-9.
    8. Cameron, Claire & Hollingworth, Katie & Schoon, Ingrid & van Santen, Eric & Schröer, Wolfgang & Ristikari, Tiina & Heino, Tarja & Pekkarinen, Elina, 2018. "Care leavers in early adulthood: How do they fare in Britain, Finland and Germany?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 163-172.
    9. Barn, Ravinder & Tan, Jo-Pei, 2015. "Foster youth and drug use: Exploring risk and protective factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 107-115.
    10. Hanne Klæboe Greger & Maria C. Stuifbergen & Thomas Jozefiak & Nanna Sønnichsen Kayed & Stian Lydersen & Tormod Rimehaug & Inga Schalinski & Astrid Røsland Seim & Marianne Tevik Singstad & Jan Walland, 2024. "Young Adults with a History of Residential Youth Care: A Cohort Profile of a Hard-to-Reach Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-18, October.
    11. Connolly, Paul & Sebba, Judy & Winter, Karen & Roberts, Jennifer & Tah, Priya & Millen, Sharon, 2023. "The effectiveness of book-gifting programmes to enhance the reading skills of children in care: A randomised controlled trial of ‘Reading Together’ in England," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    12. Flores, Jerry & Hawes, Janelle & Westbrooks, Angela & Henderson, Chanae, 2018. "Crossover youth and gender: What are the challenges of girls involved in both the foster care and juvenile justice systems?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 149-155.
    13. Frimpong-Manso, Kwabena, 2018. "Building and utilising resilience: The challenges and coping mechanisms of care leavers in Ghana," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 52-59.
    14. Nho, Choong Rai & Park, Eun Hye & McCarthy, Mary L., 2017. "Case studies of successful transition from out-of-home placement to young adulthood in Korea," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 315-324.
    15. Jennifer L. Collins & Laura J. Thomas, 2018. "The influence of social determinants of health among young adults after they have left foster care in the US," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(9-10), pages 2022-2030, May.
    16. Vinnerljung, Bo & Brännström, Lars & Hjern, Anders, 2015. "Disability pension among adult former child welfare clients: A Swedish national cohort study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 169-176.
    17. Evans, Rhiannon & Hallett, Sophie & Rees, Alyson & Roberts, Louise, 2016. "The acceptability of educational Interventions: Qualitative evidence from children and young people in care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 68-76.
    18. Yoon, Miyoung & Bender, Anna E. & Park, Jiho, 2018. "The association between out-of-home placement and offending behavior among maltreated youth: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 263-281.
    19. Kääriälä, Antti & Hiilamo, Heikki, 2017. "Children in out-of-home care as young adults: A systematic review of outcomes in the Nordic countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 107-114.
    20. von Borczyskowski, Annika & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2013. "Alcohol and drug abuse among young adults who grew up in substitute care — Findings from a Swedish national cohort study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 1954-1961.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:109:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919310588. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.