NCJ Number
140306
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: special issue (Autumn 1992) Pages: 521-536
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
British research on criminal career parameters including prevalence, frequency, onset, desistance, and duration is summarized.
Abstract
The most common research methods used in the United Kingdom to measure offending are self-reports and convictions. Ideally, the study of criminal career patterns requires longitudinal data on offending throughout life. Three large- scale British studies have reported longitudinal data on convictions up to offenders' age in the early 30's, as most convictions occur before this age. These surveys showed that the peak age for the annual prevalence of convictions was at 17, with 11.2 males per 100 convicted at that age. The best childhood predictors of prevalence were anti-social behavior, convicted parents, impulsiveness, low intelligence, low income, and poor child-rearing practices. The number of offenses committed per year also peaked at age 17. As little is known about the predictors of individual offending frequency, future research should focus on various aspects of an individual's present and past criminal career. The peak age of criminal onset in the London longitudinal survey was 14, with a secondary peak at age 17. More investigation is needed into the relationship between early age of onset and duration of a criminal career. The London survey showed that, at age 32, the average age of offender desistance was 23.3. The best predictors of persistence in offending for adolescents were infrequent leisure time spent with a father, heavy drinking, low intelligence, and frequent unemployment. In general, the data how shown significant continuity between offending in one age range and offending in another. Criminal career research has demonstrated that a small proportion of any population sample commits a large proportion of all known offenses. In the London longitudinal survey, researchers investigated how far violent offenders were specialized. 4 tables and 33 references