From Juvenile Delinquency to Adult Crime: Criminal Careers, Justice Policy and Prevention

What makes a juvenile delinquent develop into an adult criminal? What defines-cognitively, developmentally, legally-the transition from juvenile to adult and what determines whether patterns of criminal behavior persist? In most US states and Western nations, legal adulthood begins at age 18. This volume focuses on the period surrounding that abrupt transition (roughly ages 15-29) and addresses what happens to offending careers during it. Edited by two leading authorities in the fields of psychology and criminology, Transitions from Juvenile Delinquency to Adult Crime examines why the period of transition is important and how it can be better understood and addressed both inside and outside of the justice system. Bringing together over thirty leading scholars from multiple disciplines in both North America and Europe, this volume asks critical questions about criminal careers and causation, and whether current legal definitions of adulthood accurately reflect actual maturation and development. The volume also addresses the current efficacy of the justice system in addressing juvenile crime and recidivism, why and how juveniles ought to be treated differently from adults, if special legal provisions should be established for young adults, and the effectiveness of crime prevention programs implemented during early childhood and adolescence. With serious scholarly analysis and practical policy proposals, Transitions from Juvenile Delinquency to Adult Crime addresses what can be done to ensure that today's juvenile delinquents do not become tomorrow's adult criminals.

Foreword ; Laurie O. Robinson ; Acknowledgements ; Contributors ; 1. Introduction ; Rolf Loeber and David P. Farrington ; 2. Criminal career patterns ; Alex Piquero, J. David Hawkins, and Lila Kazemian ; 3. Explanations for offending ; Terence P. Thornberry, Peggy C. Giordano, Christopher Uggen, Mauri Matsuda, Ann S. Masten, Erik Bulten and Andrea G. Donker ; 4. Contextual influences ; Julie Horney, Patrick Tolan and David Weisburd ; 5. Special categories of serious and violent offenders: Drug dealers, gang members, homicide offenders, and sex offenders ; Richard Rosenfeld, Helene R. White and Finn-Aage Esbensen ; 6. Prediction and risk/needs assessments ; Robert D. Hoge, Gina Vincent, and Laura Guy ; 7. Legal boundaries between the juvenile and criminal justice systems in the United States ; Patrick Griffin ; 8. Young offenders and an effective justice system response: What happens, what should happen, and what we need to know ; James C. Howell, Barry C. Feld, and Daniel P. Mears ; 9. Promoting change, changing lives: Effective prevention and intervention to reduce serious offending ; Brandon C. Welsh, Mark W. Lipsey, Frederick P. Rivara, J. David Hawkins, Steve Aos, and Meghan E. Peel ; 10. European perspectives ; Martin Killias, Santiago Redondo and Jerzy Sarnecki ; 11. Conclusions and headline recommendations ; Rolf Loeber, David P. Farrington, James C. Howell and Machteld Hoeve ; Index