Appendix 1

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Risk and protective factors

Risk and protective factors^{footnote 1[1]}
Level	Risk Factors	Protective Factors
Individual	A need for recognition and belonging Aggression Behavioral problems Difficult temperament Early or precocious sexual activity Feeling of hopelessness Feeling of powerlessness Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Gender Impulsivity Involvement in the child welfare system Learning difficulties Limited attachment to the community Low academic aspirations Low literacy Low self-esteem Negative influences in the youth’s life Negative labeling by teachers Over-reliance on anti-social peers Poor anger management Poor educational potential Poor employment potential Poor mental health Poor school performance Premature and low birth weight Pre-teen exposure to stress Prior delinquency Sense of alienation Sexual abuse Street socialization Violent victimization	Average to above average intelligence Close friendships with positive peers Effective problem solving skills Optimism and positive expectations for future Participation in extracurricular activities Personal coping strategies Positive interpersonal skills Positive pro-social behaviors Positive relationship with an adult Positive school experiences Secure attachment with caregiver as infant Self efficacy Self esteem Sense of responsibility
Family	Anti-social parents Failure to provide basic care/necessities Families with few resources Family mobility Family violence Mistreatment during childhood Neglect Parent and/or sibling criminality Parent’s own abuse/neglect as a child Parents with substance abuse problems Parental attitudes that support violence Physical abuse and neglect Single parent family Teen parenthood Unstable family income Unsupportive/abusive spouses Young mother	Adequate parental behavior and practices Adequate parental supervision Both parents involved in childcare Caregiver expectation of positive future for children Maternal employment and education Parental level of education Positive marriage Positive parent-child attachment and interactions Positive perceptions of mother Positive support within the family Presence of a strong father or mother figure in single parent families Relationship based on family bond Respect for friends by parents Stability of the family unit
Community	Availability of drugs and firearms Crime in the area Few or no positive role models Feeling unsafe in neighbourhood High concentration of poverty High residential mobility Lack of affordable housing Limited access to health care Neighbourhood characterized by poor housing, lack of recreational, health and educational facilities Peer pressure Poor community design Poor living facilities Poverty Presence of young offenders Presence of youth gangs Racism and marginalization	Access to resources, professional services and social support Appropriate housing in close proximity to services Caring school environment High employment Integration of families into the life of the community Involvement in culturally-based activities Positive, cohesive communities Recreational facilities and programs for children and youth Relationships established with neighbours School activities involving the family
Societal	Cultural norms supporting violence In and out migration Lack of accessibility to a continuum of services Lack of accessible, affordable child care Negative messaging in the media Social disorganization – e.g. high poverty and residential mobility Traditional gender roles	High awareness of determinants of well-being Low social tolerance of violence Strong social awareness of maltreatment Supportive social policies, including: Child allowances Child care Education Housing benefits Job sharing Parental leaves Prenatal and postnatal supports Universal health care
Systemic	Low level of public trust in police/justice system Low level of perceived police/justice system legitimacy, i.e., inequitable access to the system, lack of transparency Ineffectiveness of police/justice system in carrying out its full mandate Ineffectiveness of police/justice system in engaging/mobilizing/partnering with community	High level of public trust in police/justice system High level of justice system transparency; equal access to criminal justice system services. Effective/efficient delivery of police/justice system services Strong police/justice system engagement/partnerships with community

Footnotes

footnote[1] Back to paragraph National Crime Prevention Centre (2008) Family Based Risk and Protective Factors and Their Effects on Juvenile Delinquency. (Ottawa, ON); National Crime Prevention Centre (2007) Youth Gang Involvement: What Are the Risk Factors? (Ottawa, ON) Alex Sutherland, Simon Merrington, Sarah Jones and Kerry Baker with Colin Roberts (2005) Role of Risk and Protective Factors. Youth Justice Board (Wales);
MCSCS (2010) Canadian Provincial/Territorial Crime Prevention Jurisdictional Scan. (Toronto, ON)

Updated: January 15, 2024

Published: July 26, 2021