8 - Age

Question 1

What percentage of crimes are committed by young people according to official statistics and self reports?

Answer 1

50%

Question 2

What is the peak age for offending in males?

Answer 2

18

Question 3

What is the peak age for offending in females?

Answer 3

15

Question 4

At what age do crime rates significantly decrease?

Answer 4

24

Question 5

What did Farrington & West find in their longitudinal study?

Answer 5

One third of males in London up to the age of 32 years, had been convicted for at least one criminal offence that was serious enough to be recorded
400 males born between 1951-1954 were investigated
90% of them admitted in self reports to committing as least one criminal offence
Known offenders were usually involved in different types of offending; they tended to specialise in certain crimes as they got older e.g. burglary
The “take off” age for offending seems to be age 14 and then decreases by age 23
The first convictions that the offenders faced seemed to be when they were aged 17 on average
Low family income, poor housing and large family size seemed to be the main variables that could help predict the social characteristics of offenders

Question 6

Positive AO3 points for Farrington & West

Answer 6

Can track individuals over time

Question 7

Negative AO3 points for Farrington & West

Answer 7

Relies on participants telling the truth
Dropout rate which skews results
Ignores females

Question 8

What did Hirschi argue?

Answer 8

Hirschi stated that as people get older, they are less likely to commit crime because they have acquired controls which make them think more seriously about crime and the impact it would have
As a person gets older, there may be greater costs for committing crime e.g. lose their job, lose their reputation
Also, older people have stronger bonds with family and friends (for instance they might have a husband/wife or family of their own) and this could be a deterrent to committing crime because they know that their relationships could suffer in a negative way
Younger people are less likely to have strong bonds, for instance they might try to gain independence from parents and might loosen the bonds they have; and they might not have formed a romantic relationship yet either

Question 9

Positive AO3 points for Hirschi

Answer 9

Supported by Quinton and Sampson

Question 10

Negative AO3 points for Hirschi

Answer 10

Fails to explain why young adults turn to crime

Postmodernists argue crime is not a rational and pre-meditated event but is rather spur of the moment