Posted on August 26, 2010

In our society today, it sometimes seems as though some individuals are just prone to crime, alcohol and drug use and risky sexual behaviors. Categorizing it can leave certain teens in the dark; yet paying more attention to disadvantaged youth could make a difference in their future.

According to a recent Science Daily release, early intervention for those youth with delinquency issues could help to prevent later development of crime, alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and risky sexual behaviors. This has been found to be especially true for disadvantaged youth.

A recent study into this topic examined the influence that delinquent behavior can have on an individual when it is exercised in late childhood. The findings from this study – which examined 800 youth from low- compared to middle-income backgrounds – found that those from low-income backgrounds were twice as likely to report early sex, many by age 11. They were also more likely to report early delinquency, by age 10.

There was a flip when it came to alcohol use, however, as that was more common among youth from middle-income backgrounds. In fact, they were 1.5 times more likely to report use by age 10. The individuals who showed early and frequent involvement with any of these behaviors also showed an increase in long-term crime, AUDs and risky sexual behaviors into adulthood.

The outcomes of studies such as this latest one into this area help to identify early indications of risky behaviors, as well as conditions that increase the likelihood among individuals. As a result, intervention programs can be better designed to address the real-world challenges these youth face so as to prevent bigger problems later.