No safe space: Impact of cumulative disadvantage of adversity in the home and exclusion from school on victimisation and offending behaviour within a justice-involved youth sample

Butler, N ORCID: 0000-0002-4938-7870, Wilson, C, Quigg, Z ORCID: 0000-0002-7212-5852, McCoy, E ORCID: 0000-0002-8256-7902, Dooks, T and Davies, A (2025) No safe space: Impact of cumulative disadvantage of adversity in the home and exclusion from school on victimisation and offending behaviour within a justice-involved youth sample. Public Health, 251. ISSN 0033-3506

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Abstract

Objectives Youth violence is a serious public health and criminological issue, with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and school exclusions identified as key risk factors. This study sought to determine the relative impacts of ACEs and school exclusions on youth offending behaviour. Study design Cross-sectional study. Methods Analysis of data from a youth justice cohort (N = 214) was undertaken. Analyses explored the relative contribution of ACEs and multiple school exclusions to various outcomes (i.e. youth violence perpetration, child to parent/caregiver violence (CAPVA), child criminal exploitation (CCE), county lines (CL), and risk of re-offending). Results ACEs and multiple school exclusions were significantly associated (p < 0.05); 98.2 % of those with multiple school exclusions had at least 1 ACE, and 55.4 % experienced 4+ ACEs. Adjusted prevalence of CCE and CL was highest when there were 4+ ACEs and multiple school exclusions. Adjusted prevalence of youth violence was highest amongst those with multiple school exclusions regardless of number of ACEs. Only those with 4+ ACEs and multiple school exclusions had significantly higher odds of CAPVA compared to those with no ACEs or multiple exclusions. Risk of re-offending was associated with having either ACEs and/or multiple school exclusions. Conclusions Prevalence of ACEs and multiple school exclusions were substantially higher in the current youth justice cohort compared to national figures in general population samples. Findings from the current study showed that ACEs and school exclusions have different relative contributions to offending and victimisation outcomes. ACEs and school exclusion are preventable risk factors for youth offending and current study findings emphasise the need to address both factors to prevent and reduce youth offending, and achieve positive outcomes for children, and wider benefits for local communities.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Adverse childhood experiences; Exploitation; Re-offending; School exclusion; Youth offending; Youth violence; 4202 Epidemiology; 4203 Health Services and Systems; 4206 Public Health; 42 Health Sciences; Violence Research; Youth Violence; Behavioral and Social Science; Social Determinants of Health; Pediatric; 2.3 Psychological, social and economic factors; 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; Public Health; 4202 Epidemiology; 4203 Health services and systems; 4206 Public health
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV7231 Criminal Justice Administrations
Divisions:	Nursing and Advanced Practice
Publisher:	Elsevier BV
Date of acceptance:	17 December 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	15 January 2026
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2026 15:37
Last Modified:	15 Jan 2026 15:37
DOI or ID number:	10.1016/j.puhe.2025.106117
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27920

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