ABSTRACT
The most adequate knowledge about causes, risk factors and developmenP tal sequences has been obtained in prospective longitudinal surveys, in which children are followed up over time to study their development. In existing surP veys, mostly concerned with males, the most important predictors of later offending are poor parental child management techniques, childhood antisoP cial behaviour, offending by parents and siblings, low intelligence and attainP ment, and separation from a biological parent (Loeber & Dishion, 1983; Loeber & Stouthamer-Loeber, 1987).
