Elaboration on Specialization in Crime: Disaggregating Age Cohort Effects. (September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yonai, Shachar; Levine, Stephen Z.; Glicksohn, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Crime and delinquency. Volume 59:Number 6(2013)
• Page Start: 951
• Page End: 970
• Publication Date: 2013-09
• Subjects: specialization -- versatility -- trends -- forward specialization coefficient; Crime -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile delinquency -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0011128709359656
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-1287

Abstract

To elaborate past research, this study examines the course of specialization and versatility with maturation and contends that specialization develops in a nonrandom manner, as suggested by the orthogenic principle of human development. To examine the development of specialization and versatility, forward specialization coefficients were disaggregated for three age cohorts over a 20-year follow-up period in a sample of high-risk youth ( n = 3, 652) with 54, 175 arrests. Results show that forward specialization coefficients were generally of moderate magnitude and, across age cohorts, developed modestly in an age-graded manner for the youngest cohort. In conclusion, the results provide preliminary support for the orthogenic theory among early first-admission youth.