Since its introduction in the latter half of the 1980s, the meticulous study of distinct criminal career dimensions, like onset, frequency, and crime mix, has yielded a wealth of information on the way crime develops over the life-span. Policymakers in turn have used this information in their efforts to tailor criminal justice interventions to be both effective and efficient. Life-course criminology studies the ways in which the criminal career is embedded in the totality of the individual life-course and seeks to clarify the causal mechanisms governing this process.

The Routledge International Handbook of Life-Course Criminology provides an authoritative collection of international theoretical and empirical research into the way that criminal behavior develops over the life-span, which causal mechanisms are involved in shaping this development, and to what degree criminal justice interventions are successful in redirecting offenders' criminal trajectories. Drawing upon qualitative and quantitative research this handbook covers theory, describes and compares criminal career patterns across different countries, tests current explanations of criminal development, and using cutting-edge methods, assesses the intended and unintended effects of formal interventions.

This book is the first of its kind to offer a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art developments in criminal career and life-course research, providing unique perspectives and exclusive local knowledge from over 50 international scholars. This book is an ideal companion for teachers and researchers engaged in the field of developmental and life-course criminology.

About the Author

Arjan Blokland is Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Institute for Criminal Law and Criminology at Leiden University, and Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam.

Victor van der Geest is a development psychologist and Assistant Professor at VU University, Amsterdam.

Reviews

"This collection of works from the leading national and international scholars on life-course criminology is a wonderful gift to the field. Written in an accessible, yet authoritative manner, chapters touch on all matters from theory to data to policy. And it is choc-full of key research questions that will mark the landscape for years to come. I've learned so much already and I am sure that it will continue to be the gift that will keep on giving in the future."

Alex R. Piquero, Ashbel Smith Professor of Criminology, University of Texas at Dallas, USA

Book Information
ISBN 9780367581336
Author Arjan Blokland
Format Paperback
Page Count 474
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 802g