RT Article
T1 Analyzing Criminal Trajectory Profiles: Bridging Multilevel and Group-based Approaches Using Growth Mixture Modeling
JF Journal of quantitative criminology
VO 24
IS 1
SP 1
OP 31
A1 Kreuter, Frauke
A2 Muthén, Bengt O.
LA English
YR 2008
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1764279999
AB Over the last 25 years, a life-course perspective on criminal behavior has assumed increasing prominence in the literature. This theoretical development has been accompanied by changes in the statistical models used to analyze criminological data. There are two main statistical modeling techniques currently used to model longitudinal data. These are growth curve models and latent class growth models, also known as group-based trajectory models. Using the well known Cambridge data and the Philadelphia cohort study, this article compares the two “classical” models—conventional growth curve model and group-based trajectory models. In addition, two growth mixture models are introduced that bridge the gap between conventional growth models and group-based trajectory models. For the Cambridge data, the different mixture models yield quite consistent inferences regarding the nature of the underlying trajectories of convictions. For the Philadelphia cohort study, the statistical indicators give stronger guidance on relative model fit. The main goals of this article are to contribute to the discussion about different modeling techniques for analyzing data from a life-course perspective and to provide a concrete step-by-step illustration of such an analysis and model checking.
K1 Developmental trajectory groups
K1 Zero-inflated Poisson distribution
K1 Growth mixture modeling
K1 Latent class growth modeling
DO 10.1007/s10940-007-9036-0