Risk, promotive, and protective factors in youth offending: Results from the Cambridge study in delinquent development

The main aim of this research is to investigate risk, promotive, risk-based protective, and interactive protective factors for delinquency. The Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development is a prospective longitudinal survey of 411 London males from age 8 onwards. Variables measured at age 8–10 are investigated as predictors of convictions between ages 10 and 18. High troublesomeness, a convicted parent, and high daring were important risk factors for delinquency, while low neuroticism and few friends were important promotive factors. The most important interactive protective effects were: high nonverbal intelligence, high verbal intelligence, high school attainment, and high parental interest in education protected against poor child-rearing; good parental supervision protected against high dishonesty; and high family income protected against a convicted parent. Developmental and life-course theories of offending should attempt to explain findings on promotive and protective factors. Findings on interactive protective factors suggest particular types of interventions that should be targeted on individuals displaying particular risk factors. •High troublesomeness, a convicted parent, and high daring are important risk factors for delinquency.•Low neuroticism and few friends are promotive factors, since they predict a low probability of delinquency.•High intelligence and attainment protect against the risk factor of poor child-rearing.•High family income protects against the risk factor of a convicted parent.•Theories and interventions should take account of promotive and protective factors.