Developmental Theories Life-course perspective

Latent Trait perspective

Why do we need developmental theories? Can criminologists be satisfied with existing

theories? Each of the theories tries to explain between

individual differences

Why do we need developmental theories?

What about within individual differences? Do you believe that people do not change?

Life course theory

Life is a dynamic process. As people travel through the life course they are bombarded by changing perceptions and experiences and as a result their behavior will change directions (sometimes for better and sometimes for worse)

Developmental theories Common tendencies in development You can predict what a person went through Do not ask the “relatively simple” questions:

Why do people commit crime? Or Why do some people desist from crime?

They want to know how the criminal behavior changes over the life course

What are the possible scenarios?

Age-graded Theory

8-9 years 15-24 years 45-55 years

Age and Crime Age is inversely related to criminality Younger people (regardless class, race, sex) commit

crime more often than their older peers

Dynamics of criminal behavior (can you think of any theories that could explain these scenarios?)

Deviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Deviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

Nondeviant behavior

DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES LATENT TRAIT THEORIES The General Theory of Crime: Gottfredson and Hirschi The Differential Coercion Theory: Colvin The Control Balance Theory: Tittle

LIFE COURSE THEORIES Age-Graded Theory: Sampson and Laub Theory of Delinquent Development: Farrington Interactional Theory: Thornberry

LATENT TRAIT THEORY Master Trait: Personal attributes present at birth

or established early in life, and it remains stable over time, i.e., personality, intelligence, and genetic traits

Personal traits do not change Criminal opportunities change Maturity brings less opportunity Early social control and proper parenting can

reduce criminal propensity

Mark Colvin-Differential coercion theory Control varies along two continua and dimensions: Non-coercive and consistent Non-coercive and erratic Coercive and consistent Coercive and erratic Likelihood of crime and deviance varies according to

the amount of coercion experienced

Age-Graded Life-Course Theory Causal relationship between early delinquent

offending and later adult deviant behavior is not solely a product of individual characteristics

Social events may change some individuals while others continue to offend

Informal social bonds to family and employment during adulthood explain changes in criminality

Age-Graded Life-Course Theory

Life-course model Social bonds created by strong attachment to

a spouse, military, job stability and commitment, and employee-employer interdependence reduce crime

The social ties embedded in adult transitions (i.e. marital attachment and job stability) explain variations in crime

Farrignton’s Developmental Theory Cambridge Study (longitudinal study of 411

London boys) Persistent offenders start at 8 years old

(property crimes) Poor parental supervision, delinquent friends,,

aggressiveness are the factors that predict the future offending

Farrignton’s desisters Shy personality Having few friends (at age 8) Having nondeviant families Being highly regarded by their mothers Social bond variables (similar to Sampson

and Laub’s theory)

Interactional Theory Terence Thornberry (1987) Interactions are very important in shaping

the behavior Attachment to parents, peers, social

institutions change over time Further, delinquents not only are

influenced by their social surroundings but also have an impact on others through their behavior

Thornberry’s Model Interactive or reciprocal The base for the model came from control theory and

social learning theory “Fundamental cause of delinquency lies in the

weakening of social constrains over the conduct of the individuals”

Next step is association with delinquent peers This association foster delinquent values and

delinquent behavior

Thornberry’s Model

Weak parental attachment

Delinquent association

1

2

Delinquent behavior

4

3

5

6

This model answers the contradiction between Social Learning theory and Control theory about what goes first: deviant behavior or association with delinquent peers.

Thornberry’s Model Interactional process creates a “behavioral

trajectory” that “predicts increasing involvement in delinquency and crime”

Initial weak bonds lead to high delinquency, the high delinquency further weakens the conventional bonds

Combination of these effects make it difficult to reestablish bonds to conventional society at later age

Thornberry’s Model What about effect of employment, college,

military, and marriage? These variables play an important role in

determining whether delinquency will continue or desist

Patterson’s Social-Interactional Developmental Model (1989)

Children and their environment are in constant interchange

The start of antisocial behavior happens in dysfunctional families (harsh and inconsistent discipline, little positive parental involvement, poor monitoring)

Family members directly “train” the child to perform antisocial behaviors

Patterson’s Social-Interactional Developmental Model (1989)

In dysfunctional families, coercion is a way of life Child might see that only coercion can stop other

family members from employing hitting Antisocial children manifest “conduct problems”

outside the home (rejected by peers) Later they gravitate toward “deviant peer groups” This association reinforces delinquent behavior Later these children will have dysfunctional families

and promote coercion

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory

Control theorists focus on the factors that “restrain” the behavior of individuals

Tittle made an innovation by arguing that people are not only objects of control but also agents of control

Each person has a certain amount of control that she/she is under and a certain amount of control she/he exerts

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory Tittle sought to have a “General Theory” and thus to

explain all forms of deviance For some, the relative amount of control is in

balance (Control Balance ) Some suffer from deficit of control and others

experience a control surplus (Control Imbalance) Control balance is associated with conformity and

Control imbalance tends to be associated with deviance

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory

Balance

Conformity

Repression

Autonomy

Submission

Defiance

Predation

Exploitation

Plunder Decadence

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory

Balance

Conformity

Repression

Autonomy

Submission

Defiance

Predation

Exploitation

Plunder Decadence

Serious forms of crime

vandalism

White-collar crimes

Predisposition to deviance is in each of us Human nature has a strong urge for autonomy (to

escape the control that others wish to impose on us) Motivation appears when two conditions transpire:

a person becomes aware of his/her control imbalance and realize that deviant behavior can change this imbalance and person must experience" negative emotion” of being humiliated or denigrated

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory

Once motivation has emerged, deviant behavior still might not occur

Opportunity must be present Constraints (fear of being caught, moral

ambitions, social bonds) also must be overcome

Tittle’s Control Balance Theory