Module 10 examines the work of Glen Elder, John Laub, Robert J. Sampson, and Terri Moffitt. Their work collectively is called the life-course perspective. Life-course theory focuses on the dimensions of criminal offending and the development of criminal careers as the result of criminogenic influences affecting individuals over the entire life course.  Key concepts include activation, aggravation, and desistance. Glen Elder’s key principles provide a concise summary of life course theory. John Laub and Robert J. Sampson’s age-graded theory of informal social control emphasizes two key turning points (marriage and job stability) that seem to be particularly important in reducing the frequency of offending in later life. They also stress the importance of social capital. Terrie Moffitt’s dual taxonomic theory of criminality helps explain the observation that most antisocial children do not become adult criminals. Her two-path biosocial theory argues that neuropsychological deficits combined with poverty and family dysfunction explains why some people display rather constant patterns of behavior throughout life, while others go through limited periods with high probabilities of offending.

Summary

Life-course theory, also known as the life course perspective, is a theoretical framework in sociology and developmental psychology that examines individual development and behavior across the lifespan. This theory emphasizes the importance of considering the interconnectedness of various life events, transitions, and experiences in shaping an individual’s life trajectory.

Life-course theory recognizes that early life experiences and opportunities can have long-term consequences. Individuals who experience advantages early in life, such as quality education and stable family environments, tend to accumulate further advantages over time. Conversely, those who face disadvantages early on may be more susceptible to additional challenges and setbacks as they age.

Life-course theory highlights significant life events or transitions that can redirect an individual’s life trajectory. These turning points may include marriage, parenthood, educational attainment, job changes, and encounters with the criminal justice system. These events can have lasting effects on an individual’s development and behavior.

Life-course theorists explore the pathways that individuals take through life and how they are influenced by both individual agency and broader social contexts. The choices and decisions individuals make at various points in their lives can be influenced by their social environment, including family, peers, and community.

Life-course theory emphasizes the importance of the timing and sequencing of events in an individual’s life. For example, the timing of marriage or the order of educational and career transitions can have different impacts on life outcomes.

The theory acknowledges the interconnectedness of people’s lives within families, communities, and social networks. Events in one person’s life can have ripple effects on the lives of others they are connected to, creating a web of linked lives.

Life-course theorists explore both continuity and change in an individual’s life. Some aspects of personality and behavior may remain relatively stable over time, while other aspects may change in response to new circumstances and experiences.

Life-course theory draws on insights from various disciplines, including sociology, psychology, demography, and social work, to understand the complexities of human development and behavior.

By adopting a life-course perspective, researchers and policymakers gain a more comprehensive understanding of individual development and behavior over time, enabling them to design more effective interventions and policies that address the diverse needs and challenges people face throughout their lives.

Key Terms/Concepts

Activation
Age Graded Theory
Aggravation
Criminal Career
Desistance
Evolutionary Ecology
Farrington’s Delinquent Development Theory
Moffitt’s Dual Taxonomic Theory
Onset
Persistence
Thornberry’s Interactional Theory
Turning Points

Read, Review, Watch and Listen

1. Read Chapter 30: Life Course Criminology by Wesley G. Jennings, University of Louisville and Alex R. Piquero, University of Maryland

2. Review The Attachment Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) Program as an example of an initiative dedicated to the parent-child relationship. Pay particular attention to the research that supports the ABC program. Click here to access an overview of the research that supports the ABC program (last accessed, July 2023).

3. Review the brief overview of Mofitt’s two-path theory (Soz Theory, April 2022) and watch Jacobs Research Prize 2010 Caspi + Moffitt (Jacobs Foundation, October 21, 2010)

a. Terrie E. Moffitt has developed a two-path, or dual taxonomic, theory of criminality to explain the observation that most antisocial children do not become adult criminals.

b. Life course persisters (LCPs) display relatively constant patterns of misbehavior throughout life – the theory suggests this is due to neuropsychological deficits combined with poverty and family dysfunction.

c. Adolescence-limited offenders (ALs) go through limited periods where they exhibit high probabilities of offending – they are led into offending mainly by structural disadvantages.

4. Review and learn more about the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN+) [Harvard University, last accessed, July 2023].

a. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has adopted the social development model as the foundation for its Comprehensive Strategy Program, which helps communities develop programs for preventing and responding to delinquency and crime and for early intervention.

b. The Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s Targeted Outreach program diverts at-risk juveniles into activities intended to develop a sense of belonging, competence, usefulness, and self-control.

5. Watch the National Gang Center’s (NGC) Why Youth Join Gangs

a. The National Gang Center (NGC) is a project funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

b. According to Thornberry’s Interactional Theory, delinquent peers (including gang membership) are particularly important in providing the environment necessary for criminal behavior to develop because delinquents will seek out association with ever more delinquent groups if their delinquency continues to be rewarded, delinquency is seen as a process that unfolds over the life-course.

c. Childhood maltreatment could also be an important element of the developmental process leading to delinquency.

Discussion Questions

1. How do Glen Elder’s key principles within the life-course perspective contribute to our understanding of criminal careers, and in what ways do they intersect with or differ from the concepts of activation, aggravation, and desistance? Consider discussing specific examples to illustrate these dynamics.
2. Discuss the role of informal social controls, as outlined by John Laub and Robert J. Sampson, in the context of life-course criminology. How do turning points such as marriage and job stability influence the trajectory of criminal behavior, and what implications does this have for rehabilitation and policy-making? Include an analysis of the importance of social capital in this framework.
3. Evaluate Terrie Moffitt’s dual taxonomic theory of criminality, focusing on the interaction between neuropsychological deficits and socio-economic factors like poverty and family dysfunction. How does this theory explain the divergence in criminal behavior patterns observed from childhood to adulthood? Discuss the implications of Moffitt’s theory for prevention and intervention strategies targeting youth at risk of engaging in criminal activities.
4. Consider how early life experiences and opportunities, as highlighted by life-course theory, impact the accumulation of advantages or disadvantages over time and discuss the role of quality education and stable family environments in shaping an individual’s future life trajectory and the potential for reversing early disadvantages.
5. Life-course theory emphasizes significant life transitions such as marriage, parenthood, and career changes as pivotal in altering an individual’s life path. Reflect on how these events can serve as turning points and discuss whether the impact of these transitions is more heavily influenced by the individual’s choices or by their social context. Include examples to support your argument.
6. Considering the importance of timing and sequencing of life events in life-course theory, evaluate how the timing of key life events like marriage or career transitions can influence an individual’s life outcomes. Discuss the potential consequences of “off-time” transitions (events occurring earlier or later than is typical in one’s social context) on an individual’s social and psychological well-being.
7. Life-course theory underscores the interconnectedness of lives within families, communities, and broader social networks. Explore the concept of “linked lives” and discuss how events in one person’s life can have ripple effects on others. How can this concept inform policies and interventions aimed at supporting individuals through challenging transitions or circumstances?

Supplemental Resources

• The Attachment Biobehavioral Catch-Up Program
  • ABC is an evidence-based parenting intervention for caregivers of infants and toddlers who have experienced early adversity. The program is endorsed by the MIECHV-Home Visiting Coalition, The California Evidence-Based Clearing House for Child Welfare, and SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. In light of the evidence supporting the effectiveness of ABC, we are disseminating the program at multiple sites across the nation and internationally.