Continuity and Discontinuity in Criminal Careers (The Plenum Series in Crime and Justice)

This unique volume reports on a longitudinal study of a cohort of 27,160 persons who were born in 1958. Tracy and Kempf-Leonard examine the group's transition from the legal status of juvenile to that of adult, outlining the factors that predict the transition from delinquent to adult criminal careers. In addition, they analyze those factors predictive of the transition from a non-delinquent prior history to adult crime. Other chapters discuss significant policy issues that juvenile courts should consider in order to dispose of delinquency cases effectively.