Developmental Taxonomy of Criminality

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Questions and Answers

What happens to the motivation for delinquency as adolescence-limited offenders gain access to legitimate adult roles?

The motivation for delinquency decreases.

The majority of youth are classified as __________ offenders.

adolescence-limited

Match the following terms with their definitions:

Adolescence-limited offenders = Youth who engage in delinquency primarily due to maturity gap Lifelong chronic offenders = Youth who consistently engage in criminal behavior throughout their life Desistance = The process of ceasing or reducing criminal activity Maturity gap = The difference between the age of youth and the age at which they gain adult status

Who is the author of the dual taxonomy theory of crime?

Terrie Moffitt (D) Signup and view all the answers

Life-course persistent offenders (LCP) typically stop engaging in criminal behavior by adolescence.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

What are the two distinct groups identified in Moffitt's dual taxonomy theory?

Adolescence-limited offenders and Life-course persistent offenders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of adolescence-limited (AL) delinquency?

Maturity gap (B) Signup and view all the answers

___ offenders exhibit changes in criminal activity over time, often maturing into young adulthood.

Adolescence-limited Signup and view all the answers

Adolescence-limited offenders learn delinquency primarily from their peers.

True (A) Signup and view all the answers

Match the following characteristics with the correct type of offender:

Onset in early adolescence = Adolescence-limited offenders Conduct disorders in infancy = Life-course persistent offenders Continues criminal behavior into adulthood = Life-course persistent offenders Exhibit changes in behavior over time = Adolescence-limited offenders Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of decreased cognitive functioning in children?

Increased antisocial or conduct disorders in childhood. Signup and view all the answers

What scientific basis is suggested for Life-course persistent offenders?

Biological/genetic factors (C) Signup and view all the answers

A maturity gap increases due to __________ and an increased need for education and training.

decreased puberty age Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best explains the behavior of life-course persistent (LCP) delinquents?

They have minimal impact from peer influences. (D) Signup and view all the answers

The Stockholm Prize in Criminology was awarded to Terrie Moffitt in 2007.

True (A) Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during the life course of Adolescence-limited offenders?

Onset in early adolescence and desistance in young adulthood Signup and view all the answers

Match the terms with their definitions:

AL offenders = Youth influenced strongly by peers and social mimicry LCP offenders = Youth exhibiting consistent antisocial behavior from childhood Maturity gap = Period between childhood and adult status Neuropsychological deficits = Cognitive impairments affecting behavior Signup and view all the answers

AL offenders are less likely to achieve desired adult goals compared to LCP offenders.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

Childhood antisocial behavior can lead to __________ into adulthood.

persistence Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Developmental & Life-Course Theories

Developmental taxonomy is one of the first attempts to identify different patterns of criminality at various ages and developmental stages throughout the life course.
Terrie Moffitt developed a "dual taxonomy theory" of crime.
This theory posits 2 distinct groups of offenders: Adolescence-limited (AL) and Life-course persistent (LCP).

Developmental Taxonomy

Moffitt (1993) introduced a "dual taxonomy" to explain the age-crime curve, focusing on developmental processes that create criminal behaviors.

2 Distinct Groups

Adolescence-limited offenders (AL): These individuals show changes in criminal activity over time. They typically begin offending in early adolescence and stop when they mature into adulthood.
Life-course persistent offenders (LCP): These individuals demonstrate conduct disorders in infancy and early childhood. Their misconduct and criminal behavior worsen and persist throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Life-course Persistent Offenders (LCP)

LCP offenders comprise a small percentage of all youth.
They are thought to have some biological or genetic predisposition rooted in neuropsychology and developmental psychology.
Abnormalities in neural development lead to neuropsychological deficits, manifesting in lower verbal ability, executive functioning, and self-control, temperaments, and impulsivity.
Cognitive functioning is linked to persistent antisocial behavior that starts in childhood and persists into adulthood.
Influence from peers plays a small role in LCP offending.

Adolescence-limited offenders (AL)

AL offenders make up the majority of youth.
Their delinquency is driven by a maturity gap. This is the period when a person is no longer a child, but has not yet achieved the status or responsibilities of an adult.
ALs experience challenges in achieving adult roles and recognition, which are factors that drive them to crime.
ALs acquire criminal behavioral patterns from LCP individuals.
A key factor in AL delinquency is social mimicry.
The motivation for AL offending tends to decrease over time as the individuals grow and achieve a more mature status within society.
Empirical evidence suggests overwhelming support for the concepts of both AL and LCP "groups." This evidence identifies further subgroups within these groups, including chronic, late-onset, and sporadic offenders.

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Description

Explore the theories surrounding developmental and life-course crime patterns as proposed by Terrie Moffitt. This quiz delves into the distinctions between adolescence-limited and life-course persistent offenders, highlighting the processes that lead to these behaviors. Understand the implications of these theories on criminality across different ages.