Are Dual-System Offenders Different? An Examination of Prevalence and Specialization in Criminal Offending and Child Maltreatment Perpetration

• Author: Jessica M. Craig,Emily Hurren,Anna Stewart
• Date: 01 August 2021
• Published date: 01 August 2021
• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20928033
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Are Dual-System

Offenders Different?:

An Examination of

Prevalence and

Specialization in

Criminal Offending and

Child Maltreatment

Perpetration

Jessica M. Craig

1

, Anna Stewart

2

and Emily Hurren

3

Abstract

Although most theoretical and policy approaches treat criminal behavior and child

maltreatment as different issues, we examine the prevalence of those involved

in both the criminal justice system and child protective services as perpetrators,

assessing how several criminal career characteristics differ between dual-system and

single-system offenders. Using longitudinal cohort data from the Queensland Cross-

Sector Research Collaboration (QCRC), we found that while dual-system-involved

offenders made up only 4% of the population, their proportion was much higher

among those with a delinquent history, especially among females (males¼21%,

females ¼38%). Those involved with both systems were more serious offenders

and child maltreatment perpetrators with respect to the number and versatility of

system contacts. These findings suggest involvement in both the criminal justice and

1

University of North Texas, Denton, USA

2

Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, Australia

3

CQUniversity Australia, Brisbane, Australia

Corresponding Author:

Jessica M. Craig, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, University of North Texas, 410 S. Avenue C,

Chilton Hall, 273 L, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA.

Email: Jessica.Craig@unt.edu

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2021, Vol. 65(10–11) 1164–1191

!The Author(s) 2020

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20928033

journals.sagepub.com/home/ijo

child welfare systems are part of an underlying vulnerability or predisposition toward

antisocial behavior and represent an important overlap of service delivery that must

be managed effectively.

Keywords

child maltreatment, delinquency, criminal justice system involvement, maltreatment

perpetration, child welfare services

Introduction

With few exceptions, prior research has established that most criminal offenders

exhibit versatility, not specialization, in their offending patterns (Piquero et al.,

2003). This is in keeping with Hirschi and Gottfredson’s (1994) generality of

deviance hypothesis which argues those who engage in criminal behavior are

also more likely to participate in a wide variety of other antisocial behaviors.

Although prior research has found those who break the law are more likely to

abuse substances and engage in “imprudent” behaviors such as public profanity

and drunk-dialing (Reisig & Pratt, 2011), it is less common to broaden the scope

to include antisocial acts that are not handled in the criminal justice (CJ) system,

namely child abuse and neglect. Current theoretical frameworks and policy

responses tend to treat criminal behavior and child maltreatment (CM) as dif-

ferent issues; criminal offending receives a justice response while CM receives a

welfare response. This has important implications for prevention and interven-

tion, especially if these acts are perpetrated by the same individuals and

have similar origins. Using a longitudinal, population-based, linked administra-

tive data repository from Queensland, Australia, the current study examines the

prevalence of dual-system involvement where dual-system involvement

is def‌ined as individuals who engage in both CM perpetration and criminal

behavior.

1

The current study also examines the differences between dual-

system-involved individuals and individuals involved in either the CJ system

or the child protection system (CPS) on several key characteristics such as age

of onset, specialization, and frequency.

This study has important implications for policymakers and practitioners.

Dual-system-involved individuals represent an overlap of service delivery that

must be managed effectively and eff‌iciently. Our focus on versatility versus

specialization also contributes to theoretical development by broadening the

criminal career paradigm to include a wider range of antisocial acts than

those codif‌ied by criminal law. To provide the evidence base for this study,

we now present key literature pertaining to CM perpetrators, followed by

dual-system offenders.

Craig et al. 1165