CRJU 591C Study Guide - Quiz Guide: The Strongest, Stanford University Press, Travis Hirschi
5 Jul 2018
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Continuity and Change Debate: Con Side
Unlike other criminologist, such as Gottfredson, Hirschi, and Moffit, Sampson and Laub
argue in the theory of continuity and change. For the most part offending behaviors continue
across the life course, but Sampson and Laub enforced that change by various factors can alter
this trajectory. Causes and reasoning for offending can change in what are sometimes called
turning points. These turning points have a serious effect on the previous life course trajectory
and alter the future outcome significantly. With the sporadic nature of these turning points at
various points in life it is nearly impossible to predict criminal career at a young age.
The best way to consider criminal career courses is to conduct longitudinal cohort studies
to see offending patterns at different ages. By doing these criminologists can compare
trajectories and see if desistance is possible. Following up with individuals every so often allows
for criminologists to identify any turning points in the individuals lives and see how this affected
their criminal career. During the mid-1940s, Sheldon and Eleanor started a longitudinal study
following troubled boys in Boston. They followed these boys into their adolescence and gained
intensive research. Sampson and Laub extend this research and went on to contact the boys many
years later when they were age 60 and year. Shared Beginnings, Divergent Lives: Delinquent
Boys to Age 70 incorporates all the information into one reading (Laub & Sampson). This study
closes linked to the idea that delinquency, crime and deviance are natural and are controlled or
prevented from social controls and bonds. Continuity and Change theory closely connects with
Social Bond theory in that attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief all play a role in the
likelihood of having a criminal career. Without a stake in society and its ties individuals tend to
lean towards a life of crime. However, these bonds can change at any point of an individual’s life
which is the central argument against Continuity theory. Continuity theory suggests that
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individuals are on a set path based off traits from their early childhood, but they don’t take into
consideration the changing elements of social bonds. Things like marriage, graduation, jobs,
children, etc. are all factors that have a dramatic change in the life course of an individual. So,
while an individual may be predestined on a criminal career path a life transition can still occur
and change this trajectory.
Continuity and change can be supported by the ever-changing policies and programs
implemented by the government. Determinate sentencing followed by many years later the Fair
Sentencing Act shows that the people in the criminal justice system are always changing due to
different environment factors and some policies are less effective or necessary than others. Nixon
had his war on drugs which focused heavily on removing marijuana from society, but now many
years later some states are legalizing the drug and reducing punishments. As individuals age
there are different activities and recreations that they get involved in. The changing perception
on what is criminal and deviant behavior results in a change in offending patterns. Individuals
who would have been classified as career criminals before for minor drug charges may now start
desistance because policies changed that no longer punish the behavior. Cumulative
Consequences suggest behavior early in life influences opportunities and behavior later in life.
This suggest that individuals can self-select and make changes to their behavior. Therefore, a
heavy emphasis is placed on proper parenting and education for kids because reinforcement of
positive behavior at a young age increases the likelihood of nonoffending.
The strongest argument that Continuity theory has going for is it that “past behavior is the
best predictor for future behavior.” While this information is true and that most people predict an
individual’s future criminal career based off the past it fails to consider life course turning points.
Matsueda demonstrates in two different life course trajectories how outside factors had a
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