How many of the offspring born to teenage fathers are produced by repeat serious delinquents?

• Published in: Criminal behaviour and mental health Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 83 - 98
• Main Authors: Wei, Evelyn H., Loeber, Rolf, Stouthamer-Loeber, Magda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.03.2002; Whurr Publishers Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent fatherhood; Longitudinal studies; Serious crime; Sexual relationships; USA; Young offenders
• ISSN: 0957-9664; 1471-2857
• DOI: 10.1002/cbm.488

Introduction Recent studies have found an association between teenage fatherhood and delinquency. Yet, it is not clear whether there is a dose–response relationship between the severity of delinquency and teenage fatherhood. This paper quantifies the public health impact of serious delinquency on the risk of impregnation and teenage fatherhood among urban, adolescent males. Methods Using data up to age 19, rates of sexual activity, impregnation and father‐hood are compared among three groups: minor/non‐delinquents, moderate delinquents and repeat serious delinquents. Results The results demonstrate a dose–response relationship between delinquency and age of onset of sexual activity, whereby more serious delinquents began having sex at younger ages. By age 19, almost half of repeat serious delinquents (46.7%) had caused a pregnancy, and nearly a third (31.4%) had fathered children. Rates of impregnation and fatherhood were twice as high among repeat serious delinquents compared with moderate and minor/non‐delinquents. Repeat serious delinquents were also more likely than others to father multiple children; of the children produced by teenage fathers in this study, almost two‐thirds (65%) were fathered by repeat serious delinquents. During late adolescence, repeat serious delinquents continued to be at greater risk for fathering children, as they were continuing to have unsafe sex more frequently and with more partners. Conclusions Repeat serious delinquents comprise a crucial but hard‐to‐reach population for family planning services and parenthood education. Programmes and services for teenage pregnancy prevention need extra funding and efforts to address this population, in terms of both the primary prevention of pregnancy and the prevention of repeat pregnancies. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.