Late-bloomers Among U.S. Offenders: A Test Using a 30-Year Longitudinal Study
Late-blooming offending is a young but fast-growing area in offending trajectory research. Since the formulation of this theory by Thornberry and Krohn, few empirical tests using US offender samples have been conducted. Based on 30 years of criminal history data, this study uses group-based trajecto...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | ; |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2022
|
| In: |
Journal of developmental and life-course criminology
Year: 2022, Volume: 8, Issue: 4, Pages: 547-570 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Keywords: |
| Summary: | Late-blooming offending is a young but fast-growing area in offending trajectory research. Since the formulation of this theory by Thornberry and Krohn, few empirical tests using US offender samples have been conducted. Based on 30 years of criminal history data, this study uses group-based trajectory modeling to empirically test the existence of a late-blooming trajectory among a sample of US offenders. We also compare family structural disadvantages and temperament traits across distinct groups of offenders. The analyses yield empirical support for the theoretical propositions by Thornberry and Krohn. A late bloomer offender group was identified by the model results, which took up about 20% of the sample. Findings suggest that late bloomers have similar temperament difficulties as life-course-persistent offenders. However, their family environments are more nurturing, which may explain why their heavy engagement in offending does not emerge until adulthood. The findings from this study extend our understanding of the heterogeneous etiologies and trajectories of offending over the life course. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2199-465X |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s40865-022-00208-9 |