Investigating the Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Commission of Homicide (Case Study: Juvenile Offenders at the Alborz Province Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center)
Keywords:
Adverse childhood experiences, adolescents, murder, offenderAbstract
The aim of this study is to explain and identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the commission of homicide during adolescence in Alborz Province. By understanding the trajectory through which adolescents are driven toward criminal behavior as a result of adverse experiences, the research provides a clearer perspective for planning and policy-making by relevant institutions in the field of child and adolescent welfare. This study employed a causal-comparative (ex post facto) research method. Out of a total of 449 respondents, 412 individuals (91.8%) were non-delinquent adolescents and 37 individuals (8.2%) were juvenile offenders. The mean and standard deviation of age in the delinquent group were 16.80 and 0.53 respectively, while in the non-delinquent group they were 16.65 and 0.46, with the age range in both groups spanning from 15 to 18 years. In some indices, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) developed by Bernstein, Stein, Newcomb, Walker, Pogge, and colleagues (2003) was used to assess childhood trauma and adverse experiences. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and the Mann-Whitney U test. Findings revealed that juvenile homicide offenders had significantly higher mean scores in childhood trauma and all of its components (p < .05). Furthermore, these adolescents had significantly higher scores in witnessing violence against their mothers, and in having a parental history of mental illness, divorce, addiction, or incarceration (p < .05). The research indicated that adverse childhood experiences (under the age of 15) play a significant role in the commission of homicide during adolescence (ages 15 to 18).
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