Services aimed at changing the behaviour of young offenders and those that support young victims need to be reviewed because they often focus on the same people, a new study suggests.

Being a victim of crime at the age of 12 is one of the strongest indicators that a child would offend by 15, finds a study by the University of Edinburgh.

Those who offended at 12 were also likely to become victims by the age of 15. The research said some young people are bounced between offending and victimisation.

Dr Lesley McAra of the University of Edinburgh, said: "Few youngsters are specialists in violent offending. Instead, certain lifestyles provide opportunities for getting involved in trouble."

The study of 4,300 young people who started secondary school in 1998 showed that boys offended only slightly more often than girls between the ages of 13 and 15.

Household income and social class were only slightly related to offending. A fifth of 15-year-olds were members of gangs and offending was higher among gang members.