Research indicates that individuals with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are more likely to offend, and that some ACEs, such as offending and child maltreatment, are transmitted from one generation to the next. However, the extent to which ACEs are transferred across generations and its subsequent impact on offending has not been examined. Using data from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, this study examined the intergenerational transmission of ACEs and the extent to which this was associated with offending in the second generation. Although parental ACEs increased the likelihood of the subsequent generation’s ACEs, other risk factors attenuated this effect. Additionally, ACEs’ impact on the second generation’s convictions was also weakened after controlling for other risk factors. This provides evidence of intergenerational transmission of ACEs and additionally the effects of ACEs on the risk of offending. However, these associations are not straightforward and other risk factors likely play an important role in elucidating these relationships.

研究表明，具有不良童年经历（ACE）的人更容易受到冒犯，并且某些ACE（例如冒犯和对儿童的虐待）会从一代传给下一代。但是，尚未审查ACE在多代人之间的转移程度及其对犯罪的后续影响。本研究使用剑桥大学拖延发展研究的数据，研究了ACE的代际传播以及与第二代犯罪相关的程度。尽管父母ACE增加了后代ACE的可能性，但其他风险因素减弱了这种影响。此外，在控制了其他风险因素之后，ACE对第二代信念的影响也有所减弱。这提供了ACE的代际传播以及ACE对犯罪风险的影响的证据。但是，这些关联并不直接，其他风险因素可能在阐明这些关系中起重要作用。