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4 Age–Crime Curve and Criminal Career Patterns

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The Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior

Abstract

The age–crime curve is remarkably similar in shape across data source and represents the aggregate prevalence of criminal behavior. At the individual level, there is considerable variation in offending trajectories, and scholars disagree about what explains the relationship between age and crime. A host of constructs from sociology, psychology, neuroscience, and biosocial perspectives explain variance in the age–crime curve. These include personality developmental, fluctuations in neurotransmission, socioemotional functioning, various criminal career patterns, and others. This chapter summarizes research on the age–crime curve and criminal career patterns with particular focus on the important and multiple contributions of Marc Le Blanc.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Criminal Justice Studies, Iowa State University, 203A East Hall, Ames, IA, 50011-1070, USA

    Matt DeLisi

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  1. Matt DeLisi
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Correspondence to Matt DeLisi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Julien Morizot

  2. Department of Sociology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, New York, New York, USA

    Lila Kazemian

Recommended Readings

Recommended Readings

  • Jennings, W. G., & Reingle, J. M. (2012). On the number and shape of developmental/life-course violence, aggression, and delinquency trajectories: A state-of-the-art review. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40(6), 472–489.

  • Le Blanc, M. (2005). An integrative personal control theory of deviant behavior: Answers to contemporary empirical and theoretical developmental criminology issues. In D. P. Farrington (Ed.), Integrated developmental and life-course theories of offending (Advances in Criminological Theory, Vol. 14, pp. 125–163). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

  • Le Blanc, M., & Loeber, R. (1998). Developmental criminology updated. Crime and Justice, 23, 115–198.

  • Loeber, R., & Le Blanc, M. (1990). Toward a developmental criminology. Crime and Justice, 12, 375–473.

  • Piquero, A. R. (2008). Taking stock of developmental trajectories of criminal activity over the life course. In A. M. Liberman (Ed.), The long view of crime: A synthesis of longitudinal research (pp. 23–78). New York: Springer.

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DeLisi, M. (2015). 4 Age–Crime Curve and Criminal Career Patterns. In: Morizot, J., Kazemian, L. (eds) The Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08720-7_4

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