This study assessed whether the lack of parental participation in community activities duringlate childhood is significantly related to the persistence of criminal activity from adolescence toadulthood. A prospective, longitudinal investigation of a representative cohort of 548 boys from amiddle-sized Swedish community was employed. A pattern-oriented analysis identified fiveconfigurations of boys who showed different profiles of social and academic competence at theage of 13 years. The configurations were compared with respect to persistent criminality amongthe boys for parents who did, and who did not, show stable participation in a community activitywhen their sons were in late childhood. Fathers engaged in a community activity had sons withsignificantly lower rates of persistent criminality. This result was most marked for youth with lowschool achievement, and multiple problem profiles of social and academic disadvantage. Thefindings held after controlling for family socioeconomic status. Mother's participation incommunity activities was statistically dependent on father participation but was not related topersistent offending among multiple problem boys. Results are discussed in terms of the differentimpact associated with mother and father community activity participation on persistent offending,and the holistic perspective to development guiding this research.