A new article concludes that early intervention for young people with delinquency problems may help prevent the development of crime, alcoholism and risky sex behaviors, especially among those with low incomes. 

The study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry set out to examine the influence of delinquency behavior in late childhood development.   The adolescent and young adults (800 people, ages 10 to 24, from low- and middle-income backgrounds) completed self-report assessments - so calibrate that accordingly - which included questions on delinquent involvement, alcohol use, and sexual activity in late childhood; delinquency and alcohol use in adolescence; and crime, AUDs, and risky sex in early adulthood.

Youth from low-income backgrounds were twice as likely to report early sex onset (by age 11) and more likely to report early delinquency (by age 10) than those from middle-income backgrounds. By contrast, youth from middle-income backgrounds were 1.5 times more likely to report early alcohol use (by age 10) than those from low-income backgrounds. Furthermore, those that showed early and frequent involvement with risky sex, delinquency, and alcohol use beginning in late childhood and extending throughout adolescence showed an increase in long-term crime, alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and risky sex behaviors in young adulthood.

W. Alex Mason, Ph.D., lead author of the study, "Crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex are common among young adults, especially those from low-income backgrounds. These problems are costly to address, they decrease the health and well‐being of young people, and usually begin during young adolescence. We wanted understand how problem behaviors, such as delinquency and alcohol use, in childhood and adolescence lead to young adult crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex. These outcomes can help identify early warning signs and can lead to the development of interventions designed to keep early behaviors from progressing to more advanced problems."

Citation: W. Alex Mason, Julia E. Hitch, Rick Kosterman, Carolyn A. McCarty, Todd I. Herrenkohl, J. David Hawkins, 'Growth in adolescent delinquency and alcohol use in relation to young adult crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex: a comparison of youth from low- versus middle-income backgrounds', Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Article first published online: 26 JUL 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02292.x