The continuity of the anti-social behavior can be associated to the life-course theory which explains the continuity and change in behavior over time by making a connection between the past events and experiences to the present (Laub & Samson, 2005). Based on this theory, the extent of continuity in behavior between childhood, adolescence and adulthood should be analyzed to draw on the life-course framework in relation to social control and crime. In the beginning, a person’s criminal tendencies can be traced back to his or her childhood antisocial behavior, until reaching the adolescent delinquency, and the last stage is engaging in adult crime. The deviant behavior that is developed during childhood can be associated to the social control theory where it is believed that delinquency or crime is most likely to happen when such person’s bond to society is severed.
The initial stage of childhood deviant behavior begins with the informal family and school social controls, which are fundamental for the development of a child’s criminal tendencies which he or she may carry until reaching adolescence, and finally carried until adulthood. The strong continuity in antisocial behavior that may run from childhood through adulthood across various life domains may be affected by independent of prior individual differences in criminal propensity (Laub & Samson, 2005). The changes in criminal behavior over the life span are influenced by informal social control that is developed until adulthood. At the same time, the life-course perspective must also consider on the turning points, which can change life trajectories in unexpected ways over a period of time (Laub & Samson, 2005).
The change in the behavior of a person may develop desistance throughout the life-course is dependent on social bonds that may bear a strong influence on a person’s criminal tendencies. Some of the theories to explain such reasoning are the social disorganization theory and social control theory. The theory explains that at the onset of antisocial behavior and delinquency of a person can be influenced by structural factors including poverty or broken homes, process variables, including the relationship with parents or the individual’s attachment to school (Laub & Samson, 2005).
It proposes that structural context may also have an effect on the dimensions of informal social controls that may cause the variations in delinquent behaviors during childhood and carried until adulthood.
The change in the behavior during childhood may be caused by family including consistent discipline, monitoring, and attachment to the family (Laub & Samson, 2005). Thus, when these factors are not present, it may result to delinquency during the early stage of a child’ life. These three factors bear a deep impact on the child’s behavior because attachment to the family can influence the good behavior or bad behavior of the child. In effect, these three components of informal control can be the source of delinquency. It is also through these three components that delinquency or deviant behavior may be reduced through emotional bonds or through direct control of the parents. Direct control includes monitoring the activities of the child and imposing punishment for the improper behavior (Rutter and Giller, 1993).
Aside from the attachment to the family, attachment to school plays a significant role in changing the deviant behavior of children. Based on the school context, it has been considered as a vital factor which serves as the socializing institution to prevent the delinquency of a child. Under this theory, the child’s attachment to school and school performance are related to deviant behavior or delinquency (Laub & Samson, 2005).
The change in the behavior, including desistance can be associated to the life-course theory of crime, which serves at the constant interaction between individuals and their environment. Such theory is influenced by human agency wherein the individuals have the freedom to construct their own life course with the choices and actions that they make. The choices or actions that are taken are dependent on the opportunities and other constraints of history and social circumstances (Laub & Samson, 2005). The link between the childhood and adult outcomes have gone through developmental process wherein the delinquent behavior weakens the social and institutional bonds that connects the adult to society including factors such as labor force attachment or marital problems. These are the factors that may affect the deviant behavior during adulthood.
3). The life-course theory of crime of Sampson and Laub is supported by empirical evidence to explain why there are criminal who continue offending across different phases of the life course. The believed that human agency and random processes can predict the problematic behavior that starts during childhood using long-term patterns of offending among high-risk people due to individual differences such as low verbal IQ, temperament, childhood behavior at an early stage and adolescent characteristics such as chronic juvenile offending.
Empirical evidence supports the life-course theory and its dynamics which include the trajectories and transitions. These trajectories are the pathways or lines of development that happens in a person life time that may cause the development of long-term patterns of behavior influenced by professional life, marriage, parenthood, or criminal behavior. While the transitions refer to the short-term events that are planted in trajectories such as a new job, getting married, getting pregnant, having a child, or have to serve prison term after conviction (Samson & Laub, 2003). The life-course dynamics composed of trajectories and transitions may lead to turning points or changes in the person’s life-course and can influence one’s behavior. Such changes can affect a person’s life in terms of work place, residence, or type of friends with whom he associates. The transitional events also affect the decision that person takes depending on the circumstances.
A person’s behavior changes depending on the events that may transpire in his or her life. There are some people who may develop deviant behavior through their life time caused by the trajectories and transitions that may happen as they get older. When a person is unsuccessful in his or her career, undergoing divorce or experiences bankruptcy, there is a possibility that the criminal tendencies will be awakened since such person will develop a different behavior out of his or her frustrations in life. Some people who are left with no choice but to commit criminal acts in order make them feel the satisfaction that is missing in their lives.
References:
Laub, J. H., and Sampson, R.J. (1993). Turning points in the life course: Why change matters to the study of crime. Criminology 31, 301-25
Laub, J.H. & Sampson, R.J. (1993). Turning Points in the Life Course: Why Change Matters to the Study of Crime. Criminology, 31(3), 301-323.
Laub, J.H., and Sampson, R.J. (2003). Shared Beginnings, Divergent Lives: Delinquent
Boys to Age 70. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Laub, J.H. & Sampson, R.J. (2005). Assessing Sampson and Laub’s Life-Course Theory of Crime. Web. Retrieved on April 30, 2016.
Rutter, M. and Giller, H. (1983). Juvenile Delinquency: Trends and Perspectives. New York: Guilford Press.
Sampson, R.J. & Laub, J.H. (2005). A Life-Course View of the Development of Crime. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 602(12), 12-45.
