Upload
mpalaro
View
166
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Chapter 9 lecture notes
Citation preview
Michelle PalaroCriminology 81-220-1
Fall 2014
Chapter 9 - Developmental Theories: Life
Course, Propensity, and Trajectory
• Glueck’s– Sampson and Laub
• Wolfgang • Loeber and LeBlanc
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Three Views of Criminal Career Development−Three independent yet interrelated
developmental views:•Life Course Theory•Propensity Theory−Latent trait
•Trajectory Theory
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Population Heterogeneity versus State Dependence– Population heterogeneity
•The propensity to commit crime is stable
– State dependence•The propensity to commit crime is
constantly changing
Foundations of Developmental Theory
Class Discussion/Activity
Do people change or not change over the course of their life?
Which theory do you think is more correct: population heterogeneity or state dependence?
• Relationships and behaviors determine adult life course– Children learn conformity to social
rules and to function effectively in society
– Later begin careers, leave parental homes, find permanent relationships, and marry and begin families
– Transitions take place in order
Life-Course Fundamentals
• Life-Course Theories – Criminality is a dynamic process
•Age of onset–Early onset
•Problem Behavior Syndrome (PBS)
•Continuity of crime•Age-graded theory
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Problem Behavior Syndrome– A cluster of antisocial behaviors that
may include family dysfunction, substance abuse, smoking, precocious sexuality and early pregnancy, educational underachievement, suicide attempts, sensation seeking, and unemployment, as well as crime
– Crime is a social problem rather than a result of other social problems
Life-Course Fundamentals
• Age-Graded Theory– Social capital– Cumulative disadvantage– Turning points– Testing age-graded theory– Love, marriage, and criminality
Foundations of Developmental Theory
Foundations of Developmental Theory
•Propensity Theory –Latent traits –Propensity
•Crime and human nature
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Theories that a stable feature, characteristic, property, or condition, present at birth or soon after, makes some people crime-prone over the life course
• State Dependence– Latent trait disrupts normal
socialization
Latent Trait Theories
• General Theory of Crime (GTC)– Michael Gottfredson and Travis
Hirschi•What causes impulsivity/low self-
control to develop?•Learning or biology?•The act and the offender•Testing the General Theory of Crime•Criticisms and questions•Environment and impulsivity
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Critiques – Tautological– Different Classes of Criminals– Ecological Differences– Racial and Gender Differences – Moral Beliefs– Peer Influence – People change– Modest relationship– Cross-cultural differences– Misreads human nature– One of many causes
Analyzing the General Theory of Crime
• Trajectory Theory– Offending trajectories– Pathways to crime
•Authority conflict pathway•Covert pathway•Overt pathway
– Adolescent-limited and life course persistent offenders
– Late starters and abstainers
Foundations of Developmental Theory
Foundations of Developmental Theory
• Social
• Educational
• Family services
Public Policy Implications of Developmental Theory