Anti-Social Behaviour
Young People, Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour
Young people are often perceived as the main perpetrators of anti-social behaviour, with this in mind, the authors of the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey questioned people aged between 10-25 on the subject. The Crime and Justice Survey is a national survey of around 12,000 people, for this report, 4,574 were asked about their involvement in low level delinquency.
Title: Young People, Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour
Author: RDS Findings 245
Date published: January 2005
Number of pages: 6
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Key Findings
29% of young people said they had committed at least one act of anti-social behaviour in the previous year.
The most common antisocial behaviour was causing a public disturbance (15%), followed by causing 'neighbour complaints' (13%). More serious incidents such as joyriding and carrying a weapon were much less common.
Of those responsible for antisocial behaviour, the majority (68%) only committed one type of behaviour. Only 9% (2.4% of the sample) committed three or more different types.
Males reported higher levels of antisocial behaviour across all types of behaviour. A third of males admitted at least one offence, compared with a fifth of females.
14- to 16-year-olds were more likely to commit antisocial behaviour than other age groups. Two-fifths of them reported at least one act of antisocial behaviour in the last 12 months.
The following factors were strongly associated with antisocial behaviour:
disruptive school environment
delinquent peers;
drug use
risky alcohol use
negative relationship with parents
'delinquent' personality traits
living in a household in financial difficulties
living in a high disorder area
and being a victim of crime
About 17% of young people had committed antisocial behaviour but no more serious offence. 12% of young people had committed both antisocial behaviour and offences. 9% had committed offences, but no antisocial behaviour.
Conclusion
This report covers specific types of anti-social behaviour and shows that most offences are committed by a substantial minority. This can be used to identify those young people who are at most at risk of more serious offending.
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Last update: Wednesday, July 23, 2008