Developmental
Theories
The Life Theories
Developmental Theory
Life Course Theory
Latent Trait Theory
The Life Course view
The Glueck Research
Life Course Concepts
Age of Onset
Early Onset
Adolescent-Limiteds Versus Life Course Persisters
Pseudomaturity
Problem Behavior Syndrome (PBS)
Multiple Pathways
Authority Conflict Pathway
Covert Pathway
Overt Pathway
Continuity of Crime and Delinquency
Checkpoints
Pioneering criminologists Sheldon and
Eleanor Glueck tracked the onset and termination of delinquent careers.
Life course theories look at such issues as the onset of
delinquency, escalation of offenses, continuity of delinquency, and desistance form
delinquency.
The concept of problem behavior syndrome
suggests that criminality may be just one of a cluster of social, psychological, and
physical problems.
There is more than one pathway to delinquency.
Adolescent-limited offenders begin offending
late and age out of delinquency. Life course persisters exhibit early onset of delinquency
that persists into adulthood.
Life Course Theories
The Social Development Model
Prosocial Bonds
Interactional Theory
Focus on Preventing and Treating
Delinquency: Across Ages
Age-Graded Theory
Turning Points
Social Capital
Testing Age-Graded Theory
What Does This Mean to Me? Family Ties
Checkpoints
Life course theories attempt to integrate
social, personal, and environmental factors into detailed explanation of the onset and
persistence of delinquent careers.
The social development model (SDM) integrates social control,
social learning, and structural models.
According to interactional theory, the
causes of crime are bidirectional. Weak bonds lead kids to acquire deviant peer relations
and engage in delinquency, delinquency weakens conventional bonds and strengthens
relations with deviant peers.
According to age-graded theory, building
social capital and strong social bonds reduces the likelihood of long-term deviance. As
people go through their life course the factors that influence their behavior undergo
change.
The Latent Trait View
Latent Trait
General Theory of Crime (GTC)
The Act and the Offender
Focus on Preventing and Treating
Delinquency: Tracking Down Five Hundred Delinquent Boys in the New Millennium
What Makes People Delinquency-Prone?
Self-Control
Impulsive
Self-Control and Delinquency
Supporting Evidence for the GTC
Analyzing the GTC
Checkpoints
Latent trait theories assume a physical or
psychological trait makes some people delinquency-prone.
Opportunity to commit delinquency varies: latent traits remain
stable.
The general theory of crime says an impulsive personality is key.
Impulsive people have low self-control and a
weak bond to society.
Impulsive people often cannot resist delinquent opportunities.
Evaluating the Developmental View
New Directions in Preventing Delinquency
Primary Prevention Efforts: Early Childhood
Primary Prevention
Helping Families Care for Childrens Health and Well-Being
Improving Parenting Skills
Providing Daycare
Providing Better Nutrition
Helping Kids Prepare for School
Can Primary Prevention Work?