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Life Course Theory Essay

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his paper will address Life Course theory by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub. This is a collective level theory which explains reasons that lead to the decrease in crime rates as people age. This decrease in criminality is due to informal and formal social control placed on the individual. The core argument, however, is that informal social bonds pose as the biggest influence as to whether or not someone will commit a crime. Their proposition is that crime and deviance is the result of the weakening/breaking of one’s social bonds. Strong social bonds is an unfavorable factor to crime just like weak social bonds poses as a favorable factor to crime.
It is important to note that each age group will encounter different kinds of social bonds. Someone in adolescence will experience a variety of different levels of social control than someone in adulthood. For example, a child may experience stronger bonds with parents, friends, and teachers while an adult may experience that of marriage, work, and parenthood. An informal social bond can be formed with any member of their surrounding society. They also state that offenders tend to commit less crimes as they age due to transitions from adolescence into adulthood. …show more content…

The first is that of important turning points as one transitions from adolescence into adulthood. This may include graduating, getting a stable job/career, or even joining the military. This is where the transition takes place and the individual has a new direction in life. The second states that social control may occur through surveillance or attachment of family or a spouse. Female spouses, for example, are an effective form of informal social control on their husbands. Sampson and Laub say that men in the “state of marriage” will have overall different crime rates than single men. This bond can create a sense of responsibilities and obligations which may deter them from committing a

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