Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, 90-131 Lodz, Poland.
Department of Applied Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, 90-136 Lodz, Poland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 18;18(12):6583. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126583.
Life course theory (LCT) diagnoses childhood and adolescent factors that determine an individual's involvement in crime in the future. Farrington lists eight key correlates identified by empirical analyses of criminal careers. In this paper, we seek to discuss the inconsistencies with LCT that we observed in our three empirical studies of the criminal careers of Polish offenders. During 12 years of qualitative research, we conducted direct observations and in-depth interviews in juvenile correction institutions (21) and prisons (8) across the country. We gained access to incarcerated (102) and released (30) juvenile offenders, as well as to incarcerated (68) and released (28) adult offenders. We also conducted in-depth interviews (92) with experts working with young and adult offenders. We similarly accessed some offenders' criminal records and psychological opinions. Our study revealed the strong presence of family and neighborhood influences on early criminality. Contrary to LCT assumptions, state-dependent institutions (military, work, family) were not strong enough determinants of delinquency. Polish offenders generally experience criminal onset later than LCT-oriented criminologists indicate. Based on our data, we also agree with the thesis that the onset of crime should be discussed as different age-related periods rather than just a general onset.
生命历程理论（LCT）诊断出儿童和青少年时期的因素，这些因素决定了一个人未来是否会参与犯罪。法林顿列出了犯罪生涯的实证分析确定的八个关键相关性。在本文中，我们试图讨论我们在对波兰罪犯犯罪生涯的三项实证研究中观察到的与 LCT 不一致的地方。在 12 年的定性研究中，我们在全国的少年管教机构（21 个）和监狱（8 个）进行了直接观察和深入访谈。我们接触到被监禁的（102 人）和已释放的（30 人）少年犯，以及被监禁的（68 人）和已释放的（28 人）成年犯。我们还对与青少年和成年罪犯打交道的专家进行了深入访谈（92 次）。我们同样查阅了一些罪犯的犯罪记录和心理意见。我们的研究表明，家庭和邻里的影响对早期犯罪有很大的影响。与 LCT 的假设相反，国家依赖性机构（军队、工作、家庭）并不是犯罪的强有力决定因素。波兰罪犯的犯罪开始时间通常比 LCT 导向的犯罪学家所指出的要晚。根据我们的数据，我们也同意这样的论点，即犯罪的开始应该作为不同年龄相关时期来讨论，而不仅仅是一般的开始。
