A new CLOSER research case study examines whether a mother’s offending influences her child’s criminal behaviour when controlling for a range of other risk factors known to influence child criminality.
In this latest addition to the Learning Hub, our new case study uses longitudinal research to investigate whether criminality is transmitted to children from mothers who stopped offending prior to their child’s birth and those who continued to offend into parenthood.
It also looks at whether the maternal influence differs for daughters and sons.
Researchers used data from the Birth Cohort 1 of the Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) study—a nationally representative longitudinal population study following three cohorts of children born in Scotland between 2002-2011.
Findings
These findings illustrate the importance of gender-sensitive interventions that address the unique needs of female offenders who are mothers. Targeted support for these mothers could play a crucial role in breaking the cycle of cross-generational offending.
About CLOSER’s Learning Hub
Our Learning Hub is a free, online educational resource which helps those new to longitudinal population studies – including students, researchers and policymakers – better understand the value of these studies and how to use them.
In addition to research case studies, the Learning Hub contains learning modules, teaching datasets, interactive quizzes and animations which all combine to build and enhance users’ knowledge of longitudinal population studies and the wealth of data they provide.
- Explore all the available research case studies.
- Watch the ‘Getting started’ Learning Hub animations
- Discover more on the Learning Hub