Essay Sample: Trajectories of Criminal Behavior

Trajectories of the criminal behavior outline the continuity and development of the continuity of delinquent and antisocial behavior. Several studies emerge to describe various aspects and concepts of the developments of such conduct. Walters (2012) recognizes Moffitt’s landmark study which identifies two trajectories of criminal behavior. He argues that the Life-course determined criminals display an early commencement of offense and continue engaging in the behavior throughout the course of life. A significant group of the Adolescent-limited offenders participates in crime during an immature stage, but desist as they grow. There are some risk factors which appear to be permanent placement at each group of offenders.

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Similarly, Walters, (2012) identifies other aspects of trajectories which include low-risk, through early onset, the intermediate onset, and late onset, to chronic offenders this outlines the stages through which the level at which one can offend, goes to reach the point whereby one is a frequent criminal offender. Low-risk offenders also known as minimum risk offenders, refer to a criminal having fewer tendencies to offend again. Such offenders pose the very minimal risk to the societies to which they belong. They are simply those who could have offended for the first time. Onset offenders are the next immediate who begin doing the act possibly, involving in it for more than one time. Intermediate onset offenders have developed the habit and accepted that they are offenders. The next stage is the late onset offenders whose measure is under the conditioned under delinquency, and which may be difficult to have one corrected. The last stage of the criminal behavior is that of the chronic offenders whereby one frequently associates with crime and the other antisocial behaviors.

References

Walters, G. (2012). Developmental Trajectories of Delinquent Behavior: One Pattern or Several?. Criminal Justice And Behavior, 39(9), 1192-1203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854812443645