Kathleen Kennedy-Turner
PhD student in Psychology
Concordia University
Award-winning publication: Prevention of Criminal Offending: The Intervening and Protective Effects of Education for Aggressive Youth
Published in: The British Journal of Criminology
Abstract
There is a clear link between violent behaviours in children and criminal conduct. The project led by Kathleen Kennedy-Turner explores the role of education in childhood, when risk factors for criminalization in adulthood begin to emerge. The findings indicate that aggression in childhood impacts an individual’s level of education, which is associated with the probability that the individual will face criminal charges. In aggressive children with more years of schooling, education creates a protective effect and the risk of delinquency remains as low as that of less aggressive peers. The researcher therefore confirms that education is key for at-risk children and early intervention to address behavioural issues reduces delinquency and increases quality of life.