SpringerLink
Log in

6 Developmental Trajectories and Antisocial Behavior Over the Life-Course

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior

Abstract

Marc Le Blanc consistently reiterated the importance of longitudinal research on crime and delinquency. His work has arguably transformed the field of criminology by driving theoretical perspectives from general to dynamic in nature, incorporating both static and dynamic factors as particularly relevant in understanding the breadth and scope of criminal behavior. This chapter reviews the vast contribution Marc Le Blanc had on the field of criminology, and the ripple effect that his research has had in terms of innovative analytical methods, an emphasis on longitudinal data collection, diversity in samples used, and the influx of trans-disciplinary collaboration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    There are many ways to characterize chronic offending and chronic offenders, but it often involves a mixture of high offending frequency, and in some cases, involves a constant but low offending frequency. As this chapter is concerned with developmental trajectories, their modeling, and their use in criminology, resolution of the precise terminology is not dealt within this chapter (see Piquero, Sullivan & Farrington, 2010).

  2. 2.

    It is important to note that the “groups” or “classes” that emerge from these (and other methodological techniques) are not meant to verify the true existence of such constellations in the real population. They are merely a heuristic device meant to offer aid in describing unique patterns of behavior.

References

  • Barker, E. D., Séguin, J. R., Raskin White, H., Bates, M. E., Lacourse, É., Carbonneau, R., et al. (2007). Developmental trajectories of male physical violence and theft: Relations to neurocognitive performance. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64, 592–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barker, E. D., Vitaro, F., Lacourse, É., Fontaine, N. M. G., Carbonneau, R., & Tremblay, R. E. (2010). Testing the developmental distinctiveness of male proactive and reactive aggression with a nested longitudinal experimental intervention. Aggressive Behavior, 36, 127–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blokland, A. A. J., & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2005). The effects of life circumstances on longitudinal trajectories of offending. Criminology, 43(4), 1203–1240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumstein, A., Cohen, J., Roth, J. A., & Visher, C. A. (Eds.) (1986). Criminal careers and “career criminals” (Vol 1. Report of the Panel on Criminal Careers). Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boers, K., Reinecke, J., Seddig, D., & Mariotti, L. (2010). Explaining the development of adolescent violent delinquency. European Journal of Criminology, 7(6), 499–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bongers, I. L., Koot, H. M., van der Ende, J., & Verhulst, F. C. (2004). Developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Child Development, 75(5), 1523–1537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brame, B., Nagin, D. S., & Tremblay, R. E. (2001). Developmental trajectories of physical aggression from school entry to late adolescence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42(4), 503–512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broidy, L. M., Nagin, D. S., Tremblay, R. E., Bates, J. E., Brame, B., Dodge, K. A., et al. (2003). Developmental trajectories of childhood disruptive behaviors and adolescent delinquency: A six-site, cross-national study. Developmental Psychology, 39(2), 222–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bushway, S. D., Thornberry, T. P., & Krohn, M. D. (2003). Desistance as a developmental process: A comparison of static and dynamic approaches. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 19(2), 129–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B., Spieker, S., Vandergrift, N., Belsky, J., Burchinal, M., & The NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2010). Trajectories of physical aggression in boys and girls and outcomes in early adolescence. Development and Psychopathology, 22, 133–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung, I.-J., Hill, K. G., Hawkins, D., Gilchrist, L. D., & Nagin, D. S. (2002). Childhood predictors of offense trajectories. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 39(1), 60–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell, A. M., Klostermann, S., & Dishion, T. J. (2011). Family check up effects on adolescent arrest trajectories: Variation by developmental subtype. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22(2), 367–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Unger, A. V., Land, K. C., McCall, P. L., & Nagin, D. S. (1998). How many latent classes of delinquent/criminal careers? Results from mixed Poisson regression analyses. American Journal of Sociology, 103(6), 1593–1630.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Unger, A. V., Land, K. C., & McCall, P. L. (2002). Sex differences in age patterns of delinquent/criminal careers: Results from Poisson latent class analyses of the Philadelphia cohort study. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 18(4), 349–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M. (2015). Age-crime curve and criminal career patterns. In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theoretical foundations and practical applications. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eggleston, E. P., Laub, J. H., & Sampson, R. J. (2004). Methodological sensitivities to latent class analysis of long-term criminal trajectories. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 20(1), 1–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (2003). Developmental and life-course criminology: Key theoretical and empirical issues-the 2002 Sutherland Award Address. Criminology, 41, 221–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (Ed.). (2005). Integrated developmental and life-course theories of offending. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., Piquero, A. R., & Jennings, W. G. (2013). Offending from childhood to late middle age: Recent results from the Cambridge Study. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, C. L., & Krohn, M. D. (Eds.). (2013). Handbook of life-course criminology: Emerging trends and directions for future research. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, M. R., & Hirschi, T. (1990). A general theory of crime. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, G. E., & Jennings, W. G. (2010). Is unstructured socializing a dynamic process?: An exploratory analysis using a semi-parametric group-based modeling approach. Criminal Justice Review, 35, 514–532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, G. E., Jennings, W. G., & Mahoney, M. (2010). Developmental trajectories of maternal and paternal attachment and delinquency in adolescence. Deviant Behavior, 31, 655–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T., & Gottfredson, M. R. (1983). Age and the explanation of crime. American Journal of Sociology, 89, 552–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huesmann, L. R., Dubow, E. F., & Boxer, P. (2009). Continuity of aggression from childhood to early adulthood as a predictor of life outcomes: Implications for the adolescent-limited and life-course persistent models. Aggressive Behavior, 35, 136–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G. (2011). Sex disaggregated trajectories of status offenders: Does CINS/FINS status prevent male and female youth from becoming labeled delinquent? American Journal of Criminal Justice, 36, 177–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Higgins, G. E., Tewksbury, R., Gover, A. R., & Piquero, A. (2010). A longitudinal assessment of the victim-offender overlap. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25(12), 2147–2174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Maldonado-Molina, M. M., Piquero, A. R., Odgers, C. L., Bird, H., & Canino, G. (2010). Sex differences in trajectories of offending among Puerto Rican youth. Crime and Delinquency, 56(3), 327–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Maldonado-Molina, M. M., & Komro, K. A. (2010). Sex similarities/differences in trajectories of delinquency among Chicago youth: The role of delinquent peers. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 35(1), 56–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., & Reingle, J. (2012). On the number and shape of developmental/life-course violence, aggression, and delinquency trajectories: A state-of-the-art review. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40, 472–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., Zgoba, K. M., Piquero, A. R., & Reingle, J. M. (2013). Offending trajectories among native-born and foreign-born Hispanics to late middle age. Sociological Inquiry, 83(4), 622–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, B. L., Nagin, D. S., & Roeder, K. (2001). A SAS procedure based on mixture models for estimating developmental trajectories. Sociological Methods and Research, 29, 374–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laub, J. H., & Sampson, R. J. (1993). Turning points in the life course: Why change matters to the study of crime*. Criminology, 31(3), 301–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laub, J. H., & Sampson, R. J. (2003). Shared beginnings, divergent lives: Delinquent boys to age 70. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M. (1997). A generic control theory of the criminal phenomenon: The structural and dynamic statements of an integrated multilayered control theory. In T. P. Thornberry (Ed.), Advances in criminological theory (Developmental theories of crime and delinquency, Vol. 7, pp. 215–285). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M., & Fréchette, M. (1989). Male criminal activity from childhood through youth: Multilevel and developmental perspectives. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M., & Loeber, R. (1993). Precursors, causes and the development of criminal offending. In D. F. Hay & A. Angold (Eds.), Precursors and causes in development and psychopathology (pp. 233–263). Oxford, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M., & Loeber, R. (1998). Developmental criminology updated. In M. Tonry (Ed.), Crime and justice (Vol. 23, pp. 115–197). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M., & Morizot, J. (2000). Trajectoires délinquantes commune, transitoire et persistante: Une stratégie de prévention différentielle [Common, transitory, and persistent delinquent trajectories: A differential prevention strategy]. In F. Vitaro & C. Gagnon (Eds.), Prévention des problèmes d’adaptation chez les enfants et les adolescents (Vol. 2, pp. 291–334). Montréal, Québec: Presses de l’Université du Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., & Hay, D. F. (1994). Developmental approaches to aggression and conduct problems. In M. Rutter & D. F. Hay (Eds.), Development through life: A handbook for clinicians (pp. 488–515). Oxford, England: Blackwell Scientific Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., & Le Blanc, M. (1990). Toward a developmental criminology. In N. Morris & M. Tonry (Eds.), Crime and justice (pp. 375–473). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maldonado-Molina, M. M., Jennings, W. G., & Komro, K. A. (2010). Effects of alcohol on trajectories of physical aggression among urban youth: An application of latent trajectory modeling. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(9), 1012–1026.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maldonado-Molina, M. M., Piquero, A. R., Jennings, W. G., Bird, H., & Canino, G. (2009). Trajectories of delinquency among Puerto Rican children and adolescents at two sites. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 46(2), 144–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1994). Natural histories of delinquency. In E. G. M. Weitekamp & H.-J. Kerner (Eds.), Cross-national longitudinal research on human development and criminal behavior (pp. 3–64). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (2006). Life-course-persistent versus adolescence-limited antisocial behavior. In D. Cicchetti & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology (Risk, disorder, and adaptation 2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 570–598). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S., Farrington, D. P., & Moffitt, T. E. (1995). Life-course trajectories of different types of offenders*. Criminology, 33(1), 111–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S. (2005). Group-based modeling of development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S. (2010). Group-based trajectory modeling: An overview. In A. R. Piquero & D. Weisburd (Eds.), Handbook of quantitative criminology (pp. 53–67). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S., & Land, K. C. (1993). Age, criminal careers, and population heterogeneity: Specification and estimation of a nonparametric mixed Poisson model. Criminology, 31, 327–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagin, D. S., Pagani, L., Tremblay, R. E., & Vitaro, F. (2003). Life-course turning points: The effect of grade retention on physical aggression. Development and Psychopathology, 15, 343–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R., DeBaryshe, B. D., & Ramsey, E. (1989). A developmental perspective on antisocial behavior. American Psychologist, 44, 329–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petras, H., & Masyn, K. (2010). General growth mixture analysis with antecedents and consequences of change. In A. R. Piquero & D. Weisburd (Eds.), Handbook of quantitative criminology (pp. 69–100). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R. (2008). Taking stock of developmental trajectories of criminal activity over the life-course. In A. M. Liberman (Ed.), The long view of crime: A synthesis of longitudinal research (pp. 23–78). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Brame, R., & Moffitt, T. E. (2005). Extending the study of continuity and change: Gender differences in adolescent and adulthood offending. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 21, 219–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Diamond, B., Jennings, W. G., & Reingle, J. M. (2013). Adolescence-limited offending. In C. L. Gibson & M. D. Krohn (Eds.), Handbook of life-course criminology: Emerging trends and directions for future research (pp. 129–142). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., Fontaine, N., Vincent, G., Coid, J., & Ullrich, S. (2012). Childhood risk, offending trajectories, and psychopathy at age 48 years in the Cambridge study in delinquent development. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 18, 577–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., Nagin, D. S., & Moffitt, T. E. (2010). Trajectories of offending and their relation to life failure in late middle age: Findings from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 47, 151–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., Shepherd, J. P., & Auty, K. (2014). Offending and early death in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. Justice Quarterly, 31, 445–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., & Blumstein, A. (2007). Key issues in criminal career research: New analyses from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. New York: Cambridge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., & Moffitt, T. E. (2005). Explaining the facts of crime: How the developmental taxonomy replies to Farrington’s invitation. In D. P. Farrington (Ed.), Integrated developmental and life-course theories of offending: Advances in criminological theory (pp. 51–72). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piquero, A. R., Sullivan, C. J., & Farrington, D. P. (2010). Assessing differences between short-term, high-rate offenders and long-term, low-rate offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37, 1309–1329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reingle, J. M., Jennings, W. G., & Maldonado-Molina, M. M. (2011). The mediated effect of contextual risk factors on trajectories of violence: Results from a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of Hispanic adolescents. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 36, 327–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1997). A life-course theory of cumulative disadvantage and the stability of delinquency. In T. P. Thornberry (Ed.), Advances in criminological theory (Developmental theories of crime and delinquency), Vol. 7, pp. 133–161). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweeten, G., Piquero, A. R., & Steinberg, L. (2013). Age and the explanation of crime, revisited. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42, 921–938.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornberry, T. P. (Ed.). (1997). Advances in criminological theory (Developmental theories of crime and delinquency, Vol. 7). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tofighi, D., & Enders, C. (2008). Identifying the correct number of classes in growth mixture models. In G. R. Hancock & K. M. Samuelsen (Eds.), Advances in latent variable mixture models (pp. 317–341). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, R. E. (2013). Development of antisocial behavior during childhood. In C. L. Gibson & M. D. Krohn (Eds.), Handbook of life-course criminology: Emerging trends and directions for future research (pp. 3–19). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, R. E. (2015). Antisocial behavior before the age-crime curve: Can developmental criminology continue to ignore developmental origins? In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theoretical foundations and practical applications. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, R. E., Japel, C., Pérusse, D., McDuff, P., Boivin, M., Zoccolillo, M., et al. (1999). The search for the age of “onset” of physical aggression: Rousseau and Bandura revisited. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 9, 8–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, M. K., Beron, K. J., & Rosen, L. H. (2009). Continuity and change in social and physical aggression from middle childhood through early adolescence. Aggressive Behavior, 35(5), 357–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • West, S. G., Taylor, A. B., & Wu, W. (2012). Model fit and model selection in structural equation modeling. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Handbook of structural equation modeling (pp. 209–231). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yessine, A. K., & Bonta, J. (2009). The offending trajectories of youthful aboriginal offenders. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 51(4), 435–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences, Program in Criminology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA

    Alex R. Piquero

  2. Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, Dallas Regional Campus, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., V8.112, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA

    Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez

  3. Department of Criminology, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SOC 333, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Wesley G. Jennings

Authors
  1. Alex R. Piquero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wesley G. Jennings
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alex R. Piquero .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Julien Morizot

  2. Department of Sociology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, New York, New York, USA

    Lila Kazemian

Recommended Readings

Recommended Readings

  • Broidy, L. M., Nagin, D. S., Tremblay, R. E., Bates, J. E., Brame, B., Dodge, K. A., Fergusson, D., Horwood, J. L., Loeber, R., Laird, R., Lynam, D. R., Moffitt, T. E., Pettit, G. S., & Vitaro, F. (2003). Developmental trajectories of childhood disruptive behaviors and adolescent delinquency: A six-site, cross-national study. Developmental Psychology, 39(2), 222–245.

  • Bushway, S., Brame, R., & Paternoster, R. (1999). Assessing stability and change in criminal offending: A comparison of random effects, semiparametric, and fixed effects modeling strategies. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 15(1), 23–61.

  • Jones, B. L., & Nagin, D. S. (2007). Advances in group-based trajectory modeling and a SAS procedure for estimating them. Sociological Methods and Research, 35(4), 542–571.

  • Kreuter, F., & Muthén, B. (2008). Analyzing criminal trajectory profiles: Bridging multilevel and group-based approaches using growth mixture modeling. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 24, 1–31.

  • Land, K. C., McCall, P. L., & Nagin, D. S. (1996). A comparison of Poisson, negative binomial, and semiparametric mixed Poisson regression models. Sociological Methods and Research, 24(4), 387–442.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Piquero, A.R., Reingle Gonzalez, J.M., Jennings, W.G. (2015). 6 Developmental Trajectories and Antisocial Behavior Over the Life-Course. In: Morizot, J., Kazemian, L. (eds) The Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08720-7_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation