Multi Problem Youth and an Age-Graded Integrated: Theory of Childhood Underdevelopment.

While youth crime is becoming more violent and serious as youth begin a life a crime at an earlier age, there appears no consensus among the researchers about why and how youth become involved in criminal behavior. Multi problem youth present a new challenge both in terms of conceptualizing the problem, and in providing criminal justice practitioners useful and effective ways to respond. This paper provides an age graded integrated theory of child underdevelopment to better understand the phenomena of multi problem youth and to serve as a basis for early intervention programs to assist youth and better protect communities. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]