University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Patterns of specialization and escalation in crime: A longitudinal analysis of juvenile and adult arrest transitions in the Glueck data

Davis, Kenna Fern

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Description

Title
Patterns of specialization and escalation in crime: A longitudinal analysis of juvenile and adult arrest transitions in the Glueck data
Author(s)
Davis, Kenna Fern
Issue Date
1992
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Sampson, Robert J.
Department of Study
Sociology
Discipline
Sociology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Sociology, Criminology and Penology
Language
eng
Abstract
  • This dissertation analyzes the extent to which offending patterns were characterized by specialization and escalation. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical, methodological and policy issues related to the nature of offending. Most prior research on patterns of specialization and escalation looks at the offending histories of either juveniles or adults. The Glueck data provides the arrest histories of 500 delinquent boys from adolescence into adulthood.
  • Transition matrix analysis techniques are used to assess the probabilities of switching from one crime type to another across time. More specialization in offending was found than could be expected by chance however, the overall level of specialization in offending was relatively low during both the juvenile and adult phases. The major exception is the strong level of alcohol specialization for adults. In reference to the directional nature of offending, the levels of both escalation and de-escalation were low suggesting a random nature of offending over time. A group of high-rate juvenile offenders were found to be escalators whereas overall, juvenile and adult offending was characterized by slight de-escalatory trends.
  • These findings suggest that it is difficult to predict the nature of criminality and for those offenders who are more likely to specialize and escalate, a significant portion of their criminal activity has been committed by the time we are able to identify them.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/19953
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1992 Davis, Kenna Fern

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