Age and crime: Empirical and theoretical approaches of criminal adult onset

Abstract

According to the age-crime curve, prevalence in crime displays an increase over the period from the late childhood to adolescence, a peak towards the end of adolescence and a downward trend afterwards during adulthood. In this context, the highest rate of desistance is observed towards the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood regardless of the time of antisocial or criminal onset. However, research experience has highlighted the existence of offenders who appear to engage in crime for the first-time during adulthood. The present analysis focuses on the empirical experience regarding the dimensions of the phenomenon as well as the factors associated with its occurrence. At the same time, particular reference will be made to the theoretical approaches to the phenomenon in an attempt to identify the process whose starting point is placed in minority and, during the period of transition to adulthood, leads to criminal onset and a criminal career.

Keywords

• age
• crime
• adult criminal onset
• criminal careers