TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationships between youth homelessness and offending: A systematic review of the UK literature
AU - Self, Tara
AU - Miles, Helen
AU - Harding, Billy
N1 - Data availability statement: No data was used for the research described in the article.
Declaration of competing interest: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
PY - 2025/1
Y1 - 2025/1
N2 - International research has demonstrated that homeless youth are more likely to engage in offending behaviours. This systematic review collates, synthesises, and appraises the academic and grey literature on UK studies reporting associations between youth homelessness and offending behaviours. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Social Policy and Practice, Social Care Online, OpenGrey and Google Scholar were searched from 1969 until May 2020. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Findings indicate that mental illness, having disrupted family relationships, substance misuse, trauma, being a care leaver and gang involvement influence the relationship between youth homeless and offending. Family mediation and supported accommodation were highlighted as useful interventions. It is recommended that local authority provision and accommodation options work in partnership and improve their offer for this population.
AB - International research has demonstrated that homeless youth are more likely to engage in offending behaviours. This systematic review collates, synthesises, and appraises the academic and grey literature on UK studies reporting associations between youth homelessness and offending behaviours. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Social Policy and Practice, Social Care Online, OpenGrey and Google Scholar were searched from 1969 until May 2020. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Findings indicate that mental illness, having disrupted family relationships, substance misuse, trauma, being a care leaver and gang involvement influence the relationship between youth homeless and offending. Family mediation and supported accommodation were highlighted as useful interventions. It is recommended that local authority provision and accommodation options work in partnership and improve their offer for this population.
KW - Offending
KW - Policy
KW - Systematic review
KW - Young offenders
KW - Youth homelessness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85210543099&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108032
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108032
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85210543099
VL - 168
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
SN - 0190-7409
M1 - 108032
ER -
