Age-Graded Theory / Turning Points

Explanation

The Age-Graded Theory of Informal Social Control, developed by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub, is a life-course-oriented criminological theory. It builds on longitudinal data originally collected by Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck and focuses on how criminal behavior is influenced by changing social bonds over the life span.

Sampson and Laub argue that early antisocial behavior and weak childhood attachments (e.g., to family or school) can lead to persistent offending in adolescence and early adulthood. However, they emphasize that “turning points” – such as stable employment, marriage, or military service – can strengthen social bonds and promote desistance from crime, even among high-risk individuals.

Their theory integrates elements of social control theory with a dynamic, developmental perspective. It challenges deterministic views of criminal careers and emphasizes the possibility of change and agency over time.