The Identification of “Career Criminals” From “Chronic Offenders” in a Cohort

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6090156
AutoresAlfred Blumstein (0000-0002-0748-8366, Carnegie Mellon University), Soumyo Moitra, Soumyo D Moitra (Carnegie Mellon University)
Ano1980
Volume2
Fascículo3
Páginas321-334
Data de publicação1980-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoLaw & Policy (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0265-8240 • E-ISSN: 1467-9930
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9930.1980.tb00219.x
OpenAlexW2089815037
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas25
Referências citadas3

The findings by Wolfgang et al. that 6.3% of their cohort had 52% of the recorded police contacts is well known. This retrospective analysis has been used to suggest that imprisoning these “chronic” offenders will avert a correspondingly disproportionate amount of crime. On prospective analysis of the arrest histories, however, the recidivism probability is found to be constant after the third contact, suggesting that prior record has little predictive value regarding future criminality. These observations raise important questions about the benefits of “career criminal” programs and their incapacitative effects

Cohort · Criminology · Identification (biology · Psychiatry · Recidivism · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Medicine · Psychology · Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses