A Fast Life: An Evolutionary Perspective on Youth Offending in Aotearoa New Zealand

This thesis aimed to contribute to a multi-level explanation for persistent youth offending in Aotearoa New Zealand, moving beyond historical descriptive frameworks to explore the mechanisms underlying this behaviour. The research used a unified theoretical approach, which integrated evolutionary life history theory and developmental life course theory with recent findings from developmental science. This integrated perspective explores the complex processes involved in negative risk taking, demonstrating how these behaviours are embedded in the dynamic interplay of neurobiological and cognitive factors. By doing so, the thesis positions life history theory as an important organising lens that unifies proximate explanations from developmental science. This work hopes to encourage future theoretical development in the field.