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Age and Crime
Raghad Emam
10/16/15
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The relationship between crime and age is very consistent when it comes to criminology.
Social statisticians have proven that there is a strong connection between age and crime because
the official crime in young people has grown rapidly then decreases in adulthood. The age-crime
curve is normally for property theft and peaks later on violent crimes. Much research relies on
age-specific arrest rates and official data. The age-crime curve is different across cultural and
social factors. Age has an effect on crime and social factor which propose to expound crime.
1. What are the methodological implications of the Invariance Argument?
Methodological points of strength of the relationship between crime and age assert agecrime curve which is invariant across places and time. Invariance is overstated and this curve is
similar to across different places and times. The curves share general patterns of rates and the
invariance of parametric and individualistic are rejected. Parametric invariance studies properties
of age-crime curve and using records of crime found that the shape of collective curves are the
same and that in the graph the curve moved to younger people and steeper. Invariance is also
rejected in individual levels (Padhy, 2006).
2. What is the longitudinal research in criminology?
Longitudinal studies show repeated measurements and have come up as better to crosssectional studies in criminal careers. Understanding dynamic patterns of offending whether in
looking variations and require longitudinal data. Longitudinal data point out inadequacies of
cross-sectional data while studying criminal careers. Social theories accept weakened bonds that
lead to criminal behaviors ( Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior: Theory,
Research and Practical Applications, 2015).
3. What are the theoretical implications of age-crime relationship?
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Age-crime curves are invariant and that crime causes are equal at all ages that there is no
social theory that can explain the curve. Traditional theories focus on crime explanation in
teenage years that is the peak of age-crime curves. However it was argued that crime declines as
a person transitions to an adult.
4. What are the age-crime relationships in traditional criminological theory?
Chief theoretical traditions are used to show explanations for changes in criminal behavior.
Strain theory shows how young adults experience more strain and it eases during entry to
adulthood and getting legit employment. Theorists incorporated basics of the strain theory.
Social institutions subject to conditions which prove young adults are cumulating crime rates.
5. What are the practical and policy implications of age-crime relationship?
Policies have been assessed to relate implications of age-crime curve like the
three strikes law which courts use mandatory to offenders for more than three times and
is usually criticized since by the time it reaches the third time the criminal might be aging
out of this activities (Sutherland, Cressey, & Luckenbill, 1992).
6. Can forecasting crime rates help in explaining crime rates?
Age is used in explaining changes in crime that can be predicted in future. Age-crime
curves show changes in occurrence of taking part in criminal activities hence it is logical that
changing adolescent numbers in the population will lead to changes in crime rates.
Relationship of age and crime is hard and depends on cultural and social conditions
7. How does targeting participation and frequency affect criminal activities?
Reducing population will have a big effect on crimes since it helps in intervention
programs and age-crime curve which signifies participation changes and the best way to
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reduce crime is by preventing an inception by investing in intervention platforms. By
reducing offenders that are active by involving the criminal justice system.
Conclusion
Age-crime curve is a consistent associate of crime and is usually one of the major
crime facts in criminology courses. Relationship of age and crime is difficult and
researchers will always explore various methods in the research paper. Longitudinal
designs and the theories will build around age-crime curve and will continue being
popular in the coming or recent years.
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References
The Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior: Theory, Research and Practical
Applications. (2015). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Padhy, P. (2006). Crime and criminology. Delhi: Isha Books.
Sutherland, E. H., Cressey, D. R., & Luckenbill, D. (1992). Principles of criminology. Dix Hills,
NY: General Hall.