Plenty of research has established the link between victimization and offending. But establishing the fact that the link exists is easier than understanding why it happens. Even harder? Figuring out what to do about it.

Bethany Case, a visiting fellow at the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), suggests some approaches in the June 2012 OVC News & Program Updatesnewsletter.

• Early identification of child victims provides a mechanism to intervene with families and children, particularly when there is risk of continued victimization.
• Accurate identification of adolescent victimization, particularly when youth enter the juvenile justice system, can ensure that adolescents get resources to address the victimization that may be the root cause of the offending.
• Comprehensive interventions address the full spectrum of ways that youth are affected by victimization (e.g., educational difficulties, substance abuse, mental health issues, behavioral problems, family struggles).
• Cross-agency collaboration ensures that systems (e.g., education, juvenile…