Developmental Language Disorder and Offending: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study with Linked Education and Crime Data

Background. Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) are disproportionally represented in the criminal justice system. The prospective associations between DLD and offending, and the educational and criminal justice pathways through which DLD might increase the risk of offending and re-offending, remain unclear. Methods. We analysed existing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (maximum N = 6,800; 51% female; 9% with DLD) with linked school data (national pupil database) and crime records (Avon and Somerset Police records for offences committed between ages 13-29 years in the region). DLD was determined when the individuals were aged 7-9 years using direct assessments and parent reports. Regression and mediation models were fitted to the data. Results. Individuals with DLD were nearly twice as likely (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.27, 2.48) to have a recorded offence (i.e., charged or cautioned by the police) compared to those without DLD. School suspension was a significant mediator of the relationship between DLD and recorded offending. However, special educational need identification had no effect on recorded offending for those with DLD. There was also no difference in the odds of being given an out of court disposal or re-offending for individuals with DLD compared to those without DLD. Conclusions. Individuals who have DLD are more likely to be cautioned or convicted for an offence by the police than those without DLD, and this may in part be mediated by school suspension.