Previous research exploring pathways into domestic and family violence (DFV) has primarily examined associations between early victimisation and future offending. Less is known about the relationship between adolescent DFV offending and adult DFV offending.
This study examined the offending pathways of 8,465 young offenders aged 13–17, who were followed until age 23. Only seven percent of young people in the sample had been proceeded against for a DFV offence before the age of 18. However, relative to other offenders who had been proceeded against for other forms of violent or non-violent offending, adolescent DFV offenders were much more likely to become adult DFV offenders, and reoffended more frequently.
These findings further highlight the need for interventions focusing on DFV offending among adolescents, and provide key evidence for identifying ideal points of intervention to prevent DFV in the community.
References
URLs correct as at October 2021
Acevedo BP, Lowe SR, Griffin KW & Botvin GJ 2013. Predictors of intimate partner violence in a sample of multiethnic urban young adults. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 28(15): 3004–3022. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260513488684
Akers RL 2017. Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance. New York: Routledge
Bassuk E, Dawson R & Huntington N 2006. Intimate partner violence in extremely poor women: Longitudinal patterns and risk markers. Journal of Family Violence 21: 387–399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-006-9035-1
Boxall H & Morgan A 2020. Repeat domestic and family violence among young people. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 591. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://doi.org/10.52922/ti04206
Capaldi DM, Low S, Tiberio SS & Shortt JW 2019. Intimate partner violence across the lifespan: Dyadic theory and risk and protective factors. In R Geffner, JW White, LK Hamberger, A Rosenbaum, V Vaughan-Eden & VI Vieth (eds), Handbook of interpersonal violence and abuse across the lifespan. Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62122-7_151-1
Chiodo D et al. 2011. Longitudinal prediction and concurrent functioning of adolescent girls demonstrating various profiles of dating violence and victimisation. Prevention Science 13: 350–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-011-0236-3
Clarke K, Holt A, Norris C & Nel P 2016. Adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse: parents’ management of tension and ambiguity: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Child & Family Social Work 22(4): 1423–1430. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12363
Dowling C, Boxall H & Morgan A 2021. The criminal career trajectories of domestic violence offenders. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 624. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://doi.org/10.52922/ti78016
Ehrensaft M et al. 2003. Intergenerational transmission of partner violence: A 20-year prospective study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 71(4): 741–753. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.71.4.741
Flood M & Fergus L 2008. An assault on our future: The impact of violence on young people and their relationships. White Ribbon Foundation Report. https://apo.org.au/node/3678
Freeman K 2018. Domestic and family violence by juvenile offenders: Offender, victim and incident characteristics. Bureau Brief no. 136. Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
Gebo E 2007. A family affair: The juvenile court and family violence cases. Journal of Family Violence 22(7): 501–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9075-1
Goldstein S, Chesir-Teran D & McFaul A 2008. Profiles and correlates of relational aggression in young adults’ romantic relationships. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 37(3): 251–265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-007-9255-6
Gomez A 2011. Testing the cycle of violence hypothesis: Child abuse and adolescent dating violence as predictors of intimate partner violence in young adulthood. Youth & Society 43(1): 171–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X09358313
Grest C, Amaro H & Unger J 2017. Longitudinal predictors of intimate partner violence perpetration and victimisation in Latino emerging adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 47(3): 560–574. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0663-y
Howard J 2011. Adolescent violence in the home: The missing link in family violence prevention and response. Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse
Howard J & Abbott L 2013. The last resort: Pathways to justice. Melbourne: Digital Reprographics
Hulme S, Morgan A & Boxall H 2019. Domestic violence offenders, prior offending and reoffending in Australia. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 580. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi580
Leen E, Sorbring E, Mawer M, Holdsworth E, Helsing B & Bowen E 2013. Prevalence, dynamic risk factors and the efficacy of primary interventions for adolescent dating violence: An international review. Aggression and Violent Behaviour 18(1): 159–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.11.015
Magdol L, Moffitt T, Caspi A & Silva P 1998. Developmental antecedents of partner abuse: a prospective-longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 107(3): 375–389. https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-843x.107.3.375
Morgan A, Boxall H & Brown R 2018. Targeting repeat domestic violence: Assessing short term risk of reoffending. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 552. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi552
Noland V, Liller K, McDermott R, Coulter M & Seraphine A 2004. Is adolescent sibling violence a precursor to college dating violence? American Journal of Health and Behaviour 28(1): s13–s23. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/png/ajhb/2004/
Payne E, Hardin J, Egede L, Ramakrishnan V, Selassie A & Gebregziabher M 2017. Approaches for dealing with various sources of overdispersion in modelling count data: Scale adjustment versus modelling. Statistical Methods in Medical Research 26(4): 1802–1823. https://doi.org/10.1177/0962280215588569
Raine A, Brennan P & Mednick S 1997. Interaction between birth complications and early maternal rejection in predisposing individuals to adult violence: Specificity to serious, early-onset violence. American Journal of Psychiatry 154(9): 1265–1271. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.9.1265
Shortt J, Low S, Capaldi D, Eddy J & Tiberio S 2017. Predicting intimate partner violence for at-risk young adults and their romantic partners. Oregon: Oregon Social Learning Centre. https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/predicting-intimate-partner-violence-risk-young-adults-and-their-romantic
Smith C, Greenman S, Thornberry T, Henry K & Ireland T 2015. Adolescent risk for intimate partner violence. Prevention Science 16(6): 862–872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0560-0
Snyder H & McCurley C 2008. Domestic assaults by juvenile offenders. US Department of Justice Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Office of Justice Programs: United States. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/domestic-assaults-juvenile-offenders
State of Victoria 2016. Royal Commission into Family Violence: Summary and recommendations. https://rcfv.archive.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/
Taquette S & Monteiro D 2019. Causes and consequences of adolescent dating violence: A systematic review. Journal of Injury and Violence Research 11(2): 137–147. https://doi.org/10.5249/jivr.v11i2.1061
Theobald D & Farrington D 2012. Child and adolescent predictors of male intimate partner violence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 53(12): 1242–1249. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02577.x
Tippett N & Wolke D 2015. Aggression between siblings: Associations with the home environment and peer bullying. Aggressive Behaviour 41: 14–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21557