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#11 Life Course Theory

 

Module #11


Lesson Objectives:

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1.  express the main points of life course theory; and

2.  evaluate the relevance of this theory in today’s society.


LIFE-COURSE THEORY

 

Life Course theory otherwise known as Developmental theory suggests that criminal behavior is a dynamic process, influenced by individual characteristics as well as social experiences, and that the factors that cause anti-social behaviors change dramatically over a person’s life span. It is the product of the collaborative efforts of Sheldon Glueck, a Polish-American Criminologist together with his wife Eleanor Touroff-Glueck, an American social worker and criminologists. According to life- course view, even as toddlers, people begin relationships and behaviors that will determine their entire life course. As children they must learn to conform to social rules and function effectively in society. Later, they are expected to begin thinking about their careers, leave their parental homes, find permanent relationships, and eventually marry and begin their own families. These transitions are expected to be in place in an orderly manner. Some transitions can occur too early like when adolescents engage in advance or precocious sex. In some way, transitions may occur too late as when a student fails to graduate because of bad grades or too many incomplete grades.

The negative life transitions can become increasing: as kids acquire more personal deficits, the chances of acquiring additional deficits increases. For example, a boy who experiences significant amounts of anger in early adolescence is the one more likely to become involved in antisocial behavior as a teen and mature into a depressed adult who abuses alcohol. It mainly emphasizes that disruption in life’s major transitions can be destructive and ultimately can promote criminality.

On the other hand, life course theory also recognizes that as people mature, the factors that influence their behavior change. For example, some antisocial children who are in trouble throughout their adolescence may manage to find stable work and maintain intact marriages as adults (Siegel et al,)





Q1. Can life course theory predict our future?

Answer: No. This theory only explains that transitions in life are expected to be in place in an orderly manner. Some transitions can occur too early like when adolescents engage in advance or precocious sex. In some way, transitions may occur too late as when a student fails to graduate because of bad grades or too many incomplete grades.

 

Q2. What will happen to children whose life has been disrupted during their early transition of life?

Answer: Life course theory explains that the process of changing from one stage of life to another is dynamic. A bad student in high school may become a good father when he gets married



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