The study by Edinburgh University also found 60 per cent of offenders who appeared at children's hearings later appeared in an adult court.
The research team surveyed more than 4,300 young people of secondary school age. They found one quarter of young people with convictions were convicted before the age of 16, and almost all of those with a criminal record had been excluded from school, received a police warning or been referred to the Scottish Children's Reporter.
Tom Roberts, head of public affairs at charity Children 1st, said: "Increasingly a child only gets help when there is a formal referral made, such as to the Children's Reporter.
"We want to see more emphasis given to helping families at an early stage rather than when things have reached crisis point."
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