EPE-SOC: mapping the Exposure, Pathways, and Engagement in serious and organised crime

• In Event: Youths’ Involvement in Organized Crime - Panel 1

Abstract

There is an increased urgency amongst practitioners across Europe to understand the pathways of children and adolescents into serious and organised crime. Existing research in the study of juvenile delinquency and offending have identified the early life risk factors and criminal trajectories of general offenders. However, such research is scarce in the study of organised crime, especially on its application of predictive modelling (such as risk and needs assessments) to offending behaviour data. EPE-SOC is a long-term research project at University College London, which will build in-depth understanding on the complicated processes leading to children and adolescents’ engagement with serious and organised crime.
This presentation will provide an overview of the first study in the project: a rapid evidence review of the existing empirical literature. The review reveals distinct categories of risk factors, associated with different phases in the process of engaging in serious offending, suggesting that the risk of engaging in organised crime is multifaceted and dynamic in nature. Specifically, to understand children and adolescents’ risk of engaging in organised crime, we need to gain a clear understanding of the underlying factors that impact their exposure (early life events), their pathways (networks), and their final engagement (criminal trajectory). Learning from similar fields of study, a preliminary theoretical framework will be presented, with the aim to map pinch points for future research and intervention.
Finally, this presentation will give a first glimpse of currently ongoing experimental research into practitioners’ decision-making in assessing serious offending risk, offering a discussion on factors that impact violence reduction interventions for children and adolescents.

Author

• Sanaz Zolghadriha, University College London