The research into the background of 18- to 20-year-old offenders also shows that three in four had been excluded or suspended from school, just over half said alcohol contributed to their offending behaviour, and four in 10 said drug use was a factor.
Finola Farrant, project manager for the research at the Howard League, said the young men had been in frequent contact with professional services outside prison, but had "failed to access the support and services they required".
The findings are part of a wider project examining the treatment of young adult offenders by tracking the progress of 100 prisoners in three young offender institutions - Parc in South Wales, Reading in Berkshire and Glen Parva in Leicester.
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