Youth who are dually involved in both foster care and criminal justice systems represent a small minority of individuals with multi-problem risk profiles. Prior research has found that foster care youth are disproportionately more likely to be chronic offenders in both adolescence and emerging adulthood. However, the nature of this relationship remains theoretically underexplored and empirically underexamined, especially with respect to risk factors that may moderate the relationship. Using data from the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender Study, the criminal offending trajectories of 678 incarcerated youth were examined. A history of foster care predicted membership in a high rate chronic offending trajectory. This relationship was not moderated by parental maltreatment, negative self-identity, involvement in gang activity, or substance use versatility. Findings suggested a greater need for ongoing support for foster care youth during their transition to adulthood, regardless of their exposure to a range of other negative life circumstances.

双重参与寄养和刑事司法系统的青年代表了具有多问题风险特征的少数人。先前的研究发现，寄养儿童在青春期和成年期成年后更容易成为慢性犯罪者。但是，这种关系的性质在理论上仍未得到充分研究，在经验上也未得到充分审查，尤其是在可能减轻这种关系的风险因素方面。使用来自严重监禁的青少年犯罪研究的数据，检查了678名被监禁青年的犯罪轨迹。寄养的历史预测高比率的慢性犯罪轨迹中的成员。父母虐待，负面的自我认同，参与帮派活动，或物质使用的多功能性。研究结果表明，无论寄养在其他不良生活环境中的年轻人如何，在成年过渡期间，都需要对他们的持续支持。