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Family Type and Criminal Behaviour of Male Offspring: the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study

Author

Listed:
  • Anu Sauvola

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, 90014 Oulun yliopisto, Finland. asauvola@paju.oulu.fi)

  • Outi Koskinen

    (Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Kuopio, Finland)

  • Jari Jokelainen
  • HelinÄ Hakko

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland)

  • Marjo-Riitta JÄRvelin

    (Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College, School of Medicine, London, U.K.)

  • Pirkko RÄSÄNEN

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland)

Abstract

Background: Unstable family environment during childhood is known to predispose to juvenile delinquency. Aims: This study explored whether childhood family structure is associated with violent behaviour of adult offspring. Methods: We used a large, unselected general population birth cohort ( n = 5589 males) linked with the national crime registers (up to the age of 32 years). The Ministry of Justice provided information on registered offences for all subjects. A logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between family type and criminality (violent and non-violent crimes). Results: We found that single-parent family “at birth†(adj. OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.8-7.0) and “all time†(up to the age of 14 years) (adj. OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.5-10.6) were risk factors for violent offences of an adult offspring. Also parental death (adj. OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.6) and divorce (adj. OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.6-3.7) doubled the risk for violence. Non-violent offences were associated only with parental death and divorce. Conclusions: A single-parent family of origin is strongly associated with later violent criminality of male offspring. Further studies are needed to explore the psychosocial aspects of single-parent family environment which may promote the vulnerability to violent offending in adulthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Anu Sauvola & Outi Koskinen & Jari Jokelainen & HelinÄ Hakko & Marjo-Riitta JÄRvelin & Pirkko RÄSÄNEN, 2002. "Family Type and Criminal Behaviour of Male Offspring: the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 48(2), pages 115-121, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:48:y:2002:i:2:p:115-121
    DOI: 10.1177/002076402128783163
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Moilanen, Irma & Rantakallio, Paula, 1988. "The single parent family and the child's mental health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 181-186, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lisa Berg & Mikael Rostila & Arzu Arat & Anders Hjern, 2019. "Parental death during childhood and violent crime in late adolescence to early adulthood: a Swedish national cohort study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.

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