CR 432 - Life-Course Criminology

Credits: 3

This course provides an intensive examination of crime and the life-course and major issues in life-course criminology. The life course will be examined as a theoretical orientation, a research methodology, and an empirical field of study with reference to crime and deviance. A life course framework views an individual’s life span as a set of trajectories (upward, downward or flat paths over time) and turning points (important life events, marriage, military and employment) that alter the direction of trajectories. This course will examine major theoretical approaches, key conceptual research issues regarding the development of criminal and deviant behavior, careers, stability and change in deviant behavior across the major developmental stages of the life-course with applying knowledge to real-life scenarios.