Age Matters: Stopping Out, Going Back, and Criminal Desistance Based on Timing of Educational Return

Abstract

Education can reduce criminal behavior through preventive influences and later desistance. However, the desistance effect may be hindered by the age at which one returns to formal education. This study explores this point by examining drop out and stop out offenders in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Specifically, this study creates separate subgroups of respondents who reported recommitting to educational pursuits before and after age 18. Results indicate that recommitting to education, and specific degree attainment, differ in their impact on future crime depending on when an offender reenrolls in formal education. This study expands the importance of studying the timing of social events within lives and suggests targeting policy interventions in adolescence.

Social Bonding Experiences Facilitating Desistance in Adolescence

“…The current study demonstrates that desistance may begin in adolescence for some, within the framework of age-graded informal social controls through bonding experiences at school, within the family, and even within peer networks. This study expands theoretical considerations of social bonds and opens inquiry into how social processes (Abeling-Judge, 2020) facilitate positive change, such as cognitive developments (Giordano et al, 2002), identity change (Paternoster & Bushway, 2009), or comprehensive maturation (Rocque, 2015), as offenders age into adulthood.…”

“…The chief strength of the current study is the application of age-graded informal social control theory to adolescent social bonds to school, family, and peers, as age appropriate social influences (Foster et al, 2017). Recent research has expanded desistance to incorporate educational recommitment and completion (Abeling-Judge, 2019, 2020). Therefore, addressing earlier educational bonding as a possible onset to the process of desistance creates the possibility of extending adolescent social bonds to adult prosocial developments (e.g., educational attainment facilitating positive employment experiences).…”

“…If one rebuilds or strengthens a relationship with one’s parents one may be encouraged, among other pursuits, to modify or reduce risk taking habits. Similarly, if one returns to school after dropping out and earns their high school diploma, one may be perceived as marriage eligible by a dating partner or develop stable employment as a result (Abeling-Judge, 2019, 2020).…”

“…School influences, within the context of informal social experiences, may include school orientation and teacher bonding. The majority of criminological research addresses education as crime prevention (i.e., graduating high school reducing offense likelihood and frequency) (Groot & van den Brink, 2010; Hansen, 2003; Lochner, 2004; Machin et al, 2011), but recent research has incorporated educational attainment within the context of desistance, as applied to stopped out offenders (Abeling-Judge, 2019, 2020). Active students may also experience the process of desistance if they have, or develop, positive ties to teachers, coaches, or others within the school as broader bonding experiences facilitate positive growth in other forms, specifically degree completion and pursuit of post-secondary education (Bryan et al, 2012; Dumais, 2009; Zaff et al, 2003).…”

“…Recent developments have explored the role of educational recommitment for offenders who previously dropped out of school (Abeling-Judge, 2019, 2020). While impactful towards the desistance process, this work speaks to minimizing the effects of the drop out problem by getting offenders to reinvest their time in education.…”