Investigators:  Sally S. Simpson, Laura Dugan, Julie Horney, Candace Kruttschnitt, Rosemary Gartner, and Mariel Alper

Previous research limitations have made itdifficult for scholars to unravel developmental pathways by gender.  Findings from the few studies that have investigated pathways (especially those that examine adult onset) are inconsistent and contradictory.  Using data collected from incarcerated women in Baltimore, Minneapolis, and Toronto, we focus on individual, situational, and contextual factors that distinguish early, adolescent, and adult onset offending.  In particular, we explore the extent to which definitions of “adult” (e.g., age 18 versus 21) account for some of the inconsistencies across studies and whether young adult offenders (18, 19, 20) are similar to adolescent initiators, adult initiators, or appear to be a distinct group.

Presentation:  Stockholm Criminology Symposium 2011 (Stockholm, Sweden)