1 - Introduction: Crime over the life course (L1, KC1, Elder, Hirschi & Gottfredson, Steffenmeier) Flashcards
Definition criminal career (HC)
Small % of offenders account for majority of the crimes.
What do Hirschi & Gottfredson say about age and crime? (HC)
Only age matters. Crime declines with age: maturation. Criminal career and longitundinal research is NOT needed.
What do Steffenmeier et al. say about crime and age? (HC)
They were wondering why crime declines with age. They say this is about social roles and context. Age-crime curve depends on type of crime.
What are critiques about age crime curve? (HC)
Ignores vairations in shape of age-crime curve. E.g. gender, early vs. late starters and crime types.
What do life-course studies research? (HC)
Within-individual differences, so your own changes over time.
What are life course concepts (Elder; HC)
- Trajectories: the whole line, eg high school to uni
- Transitions: a change, normal stuff that happens
- Turning points: bigger and serious changes
Which three effects do you have with life course concepts? (HC)
- Age effects: as people get older, their behavior change; Hirschi)
- Period effects: general effect, effect in time period that hits everyone (in a country)
- Cohort effects: birth cohort
What are the four aspects of life course research? (Elder?; HC)
- Social historical time and place: when and where you are born matters, includes cohort, historical context and social change
- Human agency: capacity to make own choices
- Linked lives: individuals are linked to others
- Timing: age at which events occur affects trajectories and transitions
Definition Cumulative continuity (HC)
Snowball effect. Past behavior does effect future behavior. Causal effect.
Definition Self-selection (HC)
(Personal) traits explain behavior, comes from genes and environment. people select experiences/groups based on internal trait. Komt overeen met wat Hirschi zegt.
What are four criminal career dimensions? (KC)
- Participation: people who engage in crime during their life course vs those who do not
- Frequency: rate of activity, number of offences
- Seriousness: minor vs serious
- Duration: length in time of criminal activity or career
Definition Lambda (KC)
Rate of activity.
What does the article of Elder states?
Sociologists had to make use of life histories and future trajectories of individuals and groups, emphasizing the need for longitudinal approach to life history. Purpose of article is trace evolution of life course study.
Why is it important to look at social and cultural ecologies? (Elder)
Mixture of various immigrant groups with general population gave greater visilibity.
Defintion concept Social pathways (Elder)
Trajectories of education and work, family and residences that are followed by individual groups through society. Shaped by historical foces and often structured by social institutions.
Definition concept Trajectories (Elder)
Made up of transitions, or changes in state or role. E.g. leaving parental home, becoming a parent, retiring. Long durations enhance behavioral stability through acquired obligations and vested interests.