Age and Crime

Criminologists have long recognized that age is a very robust predictor of crime, both in the aggregate and for individuals. The most common finding across countries, groups, and historical periods shows that crime tends to be a young persons' activity. However, the age-crime relationship is not invariant, and in fact varies in its specific features according to crime types, the structural position of groups, and historical and cultural contexts. On the other hand, the age-crime relationship seems to be fairly similar for males and females. Finally, although they constitute a very small group, relatively little is known about older chronic offenders. Clearly, the structure, dynamics, and contexts of offending among older individuals is a rich topic for further research.