Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The study aimed to provide an estimate of the extent, frequency and nature of self-reported offending among 14-25 year olds in England and Wales, to establish the reasons why some young people start to offend, and what influences those young offenders who desist from offending to sustain a non-criminal lifestyle. Further details about the YLS and links to reports may be found on the Home Office Youth Lifestyles Survey web page.

Main Topics:

A national random sample of 1,721 young people aged 14 to 25 (plus a booster sample of 809 young people from ethnic minorities) were interviewed about their background, their family life, their school experiences and aspects of their current lifestyle. Respondents were asked to admit whether they had ever committed one of a list of 23 criminal offences or used controlled drugs. Those who had ever committed at least one offence were asked at what age they committed each type of offence for the first time and whether they had also committed an offence within twelve months previous to the interview. Standard measures Likert scaling devices and Registrar General's Classification of Occupation.

Random sample selected in clusters using the Postal Address File (PAF)

Face-to-face interview