Explanation
Life-Course Criminology investigates how criminal behavior emerges, persists, and desists over time. It emphasizes the timing of life events, such as schooling, employment, marriage, or incarceration, and how these events serve as turning points that can either reinforce or redirect behavioral trajectories.
The perspective bridges sociology and criminology, exploring the interaction between individual agency and structural influences over time.
Theoretical Reference
Major contributions come from:
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Sampson & Laub: Emphasizing social bonds and turning points
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Terrie Moffitt: Differentiating between adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent offenders