Review Lifecourse Sampson and Laub Terrie Moffitts Theory

Review Lifecourse Sampson and Laub Terrie Moffitt’s Theory

Lifecourse Theory I o o Must explain why there is stability (continuity) in antisocial behavior Must explain childhood precursors to offending (childhood antisocial behavior) n n o Severe (age inappropriate) temper tantrums Deviant/criminal behavior Must explain desistence, or “change” n n Antisocial children, but not adults Adults that “age out”

Lifecourse Theory II o Types of Lifecourse Theories (From Cullen and Agnew) 1. Continuity Theories (Trait—G&H) Continuity and Change Theories (Sampson and Laub, Patterson) Continuity or Change Theories (Moffitt) 2. 3.

Sampson and Laub o Important/Popular book: Crime in the Making: Pathways and Turning Points Through Life n n n First to fully outline “lifecourse” criminology Put forth a lifecourse theory Use “Glueck data” to test theory

Pathways and Turning Points o o Pathways = stability Turning Points = opportunity for change

Sampson and Laub’s “Age Graded Theory of Informal Social Control” o o In what sense is theory “age graded? ” What does “Informal Social Control” mean?

Sampson and Laub Childhood Context • Poverty • Neighborhood • Others Individual Differences • Temperament • Conduct disorder diagnosis Adolescence Parenting • Supervision • Discipline Social Bonds • Family • School • Delinquent Peers Delinquency Length of Incarceration Adulthood Adult Crime Social Bonds • Marriage • Good Job

Continuity o Stability of Trajectory n n Individual differences (traits) possible Cumulative Continuity o o o Delinquency/crime has effect on “adult social bonds” Delinquency/crime can lead to incarceration, which also has effect on adult social bonds These bonds, in turn, have effect on future crime

Change o Turning Points = Adult Social Bonds n n o Quality Marriage Quality Employment Why would these things reduce crime? n n S&L: they increase informal control (bind individuals to society, give them something to lose) Other explanations (spend less time with criminal friends, etc. )

Sampson and Laub II o New Book/Articles based on follow-up data from Gleuck sample n o Similar to original theory n o Followed until age 70 Employment, marriage, military service More complex-why a “turning point? ” n n Knife off past from the present/future Supervision/monitoring (control) but also opportunities for social support/growth Change to structure/routine activities Opportunity for identity transformation

How do people desist? o Desistence by Default n No conscious decision to “stop offending” o o Rather, roles, structure, social context changes Human Agency n Vague concept that implies people have some say in the matter. o Not same as “rational choice” nor is it a “trait” n n Interaction = land a good job but still must want to keep Theoretical Importance o o Lives do not “unfold” in predictable sequences Desistence more difficult to explain than onset or persistence

Terrie Moffitt o o A Stability or Change Theory Argument: n n o There are 2 different “kinds” of offenders in the world These types can be characterized by their unique “offending trajectories” Failure of Mainstream Criminology? n During adolescence, these two groups look rather similar

Moffitt’s 2 Groups of Offenders o LCP’s n n Early Start, Stable over lifecourse, 5% of general population (small group) Therefore… o o Why start so early? Why so stable? AL’s n n Late starters, desist in adulthood, very prevalent in population Therefore…. o Why start so late? Why desist right away?

Explaining the LCP trajectory o Presence of “Neuropsychological Deficits” n n Where do they come from? Why do they matter? INTERACTING WITH o Ineffective Parenting n o Monitoring, supervision, etc. This “dual hazard” puts them on bad path…however…

Cumulative Continuity for LCP’s o What in the environment is affected? n n n o Peer Rejection School Failure Parenting THEREFORE n n Cumulative continuity Contemporary continuity (still have N. P. Deficit, personality traits)

Explaining the AL’s o Maturity Gap n Knifing off Bonds as “rewarding” o Mimic o Why do AL’s desist? However, some may exhibit continuity o n “Snares” as another example of cumulative continuity

Key Moffitt Questions o o o Why do we need 2 theories? How does she account for stability and change? Specific explanations of LCP and AL offending