The association between bullying and violent crime 

Why we funded this 

Bullying is common – in England, over a third of Year 10 pupils report being bullied. Existing evidence suggests that involvement in bullying as a child increases risk of weapons carrying and violence involvement.  

However, the existing evidence is limited. Few studies have been carried out in the UK, it is not known how being either a victim or a perpetrator (or both) differently affects risk, or whether the timing of bullying, and repeated exposure over time matters.  

What are the main research questions 

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between being a victim or perpetrator of bullying (and those involved in both), and later involvement in 1) self-report violent behaviour, and 2) being cautioned or convicted of a violent offence by the police. 

What the analysis involves 

This study uses linked data between the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), the National Pupil Database (NPD) and Avon & Somerset Police Data. ALSPAC is a cohort study that recruited pregnant women with a due date between April 1991 and December 1992, living in and around Bristol. Almost 15,000 women were recruited.  

The study will use a technique called Structure Life Course Modelling to explore how the timing of bullying exposure, or the effects of repeated exposure to bullying, may predict later involvement in violence and crime.   

Please refer to the analytical protocol for more details.