LIFE‐COURSE TRANSITIONS AND DESISTANCE FROM CRIME*

TLDR

Sampson and Laub linked criminal behavior to life‑course transitions such as marriage, employment, and military entry. This study tests whether life‑course transitions influence criminal behavior through changes in peer relationships. The authors interpret the data through control theory. The study finds that life‑course transitions, especially marriage, reduce time with friends and exposure to delinquent peers, thereby explaining the decline in delinquent behavior and underscoring the role of changing peer relations.

Abstract

Sampson and Laub (1993) provided a major contribution to the study of criminal careers by linking criminal behavior to life‐course transitions, such as marriage, employment, and entry into the military. To interpret their findings, these investigators relied exclusively on control theory. In a sharp departure from that position, this study offers evidence that life‐course transitions affect criminal behavior by altering relations with delinquent peers. Focusing on marriage, the analysis shows that the transition to marriage is followed by a dramatic decline in time spent with friends as well as reduced exposure to delinquent peers, and that these factors largely explain the association between marital status and delinquent behavior. The findings suggest that changing patterns of peer relations over the life course are essential for understanding criminal life‐course trajectories.