Tuesday 23 March, 1999

A person born with a low birth weight could be at greater risk of becoming a juvenile offender, according to a leading Brisbane academic.

Griffith University criminologist Ross Homel has outlined to a conference in Canberra some of the risk factors believed to be associated with criminal and anti-social behaviour.

Other factors include being born prematurely, having a teenage mother, being exposed to substance abuse, peer rejection and bullying.

Professor Homel says early intervention and family support programs can help offset those risk factors.

"What the research does suggest is that when there are many, many adverse circumstances present in the life, both of the individual child and of the immediate environment, that is the neighbourhood, or the school or the family, then it could be important that there be external resources to protect the family," Professor Homel said.

"I'm talking more about the creation of more child friendly environments and I'm talking about family support generally."

ABC News

© 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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