Later Life Outcomes, Turning Points, and Desistance

Prior reviews of the criminal trajectory literature mostly excluded findings on the relation of criminal trajectory groups to later life outcomes, turning points, and desistance. To set the stage for the review of this literature, the chapter first draws on the broader literature to define key terms, such as desistance and turning points, and to describe influential theories of desistance from crime and empirical findings. It is argued that criminal trajectory research needs to better integrate with these independent strands of research to advance the understanding of desisting offender trajectory groups. The chapter also details how emerging, innovative methodological approaches for the examination of turning point effects can help strengthen future criminal trajectory research on these issues. Next, the findings of criminal trajectory studies on later life outcomes and desistance are reviewed. Future research needs are identified to move the field forward. Last, the chapter seeks to make the case for a programmatic agenda that ties criminal trajectory research to developmental science models of intentional self-regulation across the life span, such as tripartite Selection, Optimization, and Compensation theory from Paul Baltes, to help explore the role of human agency in the development of crime.