Longitudinal Study of Criminal Career Patterns of Former California Youth Authority Wards, 1965-1984 (ICPSR 2478)

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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

This study was designed to measure changes that occur in criminal behavior as offenders move through life. Some key research questions were: (1) Why do some offenders go to prison early in life, while others enter later? (2) Does criminal behavior decline as offenders age, or do offenders simply stop their criminal behavior altogether at some point? (3) Is the amount of criminal behavior committed by offenders related to their employment or family life or the use of drugs, as these change over time? This study attempted to answer these questions by investigating the patterns of criminal behavior that occurred over a ten- to fifteen-year period for some 1,300 men whose early criminal involvement was serious enough to result in commitment to California Youth Authority (state-level) institutions. The main focus of the study was on changes in criminal behavior as these men moved through their 20s and into their 30s. The goal was to determine whether a policy of selectively sentencing offenders to prison for longer terms could work to substantially reduce crime. To that end, the study was organized primarily around investigating whether the criminal behavior of the offenders in this sample was reasonably stable.

Study Design View help for Study Design

This study extended and expanded the follow-up data for the study EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF THE CHRONIC OFFENDER, [1978-1980: CALIFORNIA] (ICPSR 8226). That study analyzed data on subsequent arrests (using the most serious charge for each arrest incident) over a ten- to fifteen-year period and used attitudinal, background, and psychological data retained from earlier studies to predict subsequent offense behavior for juvenile and young adult offenders committed to the California Youth Authority. Half of this sample was used in the present study, along with smaller samples of adult offenders with no history of state-level commitments as juveniles. More complete arrest histories were obtained, and information on demographics, family background, adult drug use, marital status, and employment was coded from prison and/or probation files. These data allow for extensive analyses of adult patterns of criminal behavior and the relationship of the patterns to various explanatory variables. Information on a single prison term (for those with such terms) or jail/probation term (for cases with such term information available but without prison terms) was also coded. Data on arrests and time incarcerated prior to and after these sentences were used to assess career stability over time and estimate the incapacitation effects of increased sentence lengths.

Sample View help for Sample

The sample used for this study consisted of three subsamples: (1) half of the sample from ICPSR 8226 (n = 1,308), (2) a sample of adult prisoners who were convicted of robbery or burglary and who had no known history of state-level juvenile commitments (n = 175), and (3) a sample of adult probationers who were sentenced to jail and/or probation for either robbery or burglary who had no prior juvenile or adult state-level commitments (n = 98).

Universe View help for Universe

California offenders.

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Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

Part 1, Offense Data, contains arrest information covering the period after parole from the California Youth Authority through the date of data collection. Variables include entry and release dates to jail, prison, or probation, the most serious offense and charge, total number of offenses for violent, property, and all crimes, and dates of arrest, offense codes, and number of counts for all arrests. These arrest data incorporate the arrest data contained in EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF THE CHRONIC OFFENDER, [1978-1980: CALIFORNIA] (ICPSR 8226) for all California Youth Authority cases in the current study. Part 2, Arrest Data by Age and Year, contains counts of arrest charges by type of offense (violent or nonviolent) and by age and calendar year. Part 3, Arrest Data for Specific Offenses, contains counts of more specific arrest charges for four-year age blocks (from 18 through 30-plus) for 21 types of offenses, including murder, assault, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, forgery, arson, and drug possession. Variables include months of street time, months of incarceration, and total arrests. Part 4, Prison and Probation Data, contains information on prison or probation terms and arrest and lifestyle characteristics for the year immediately prior to and following jail or prison. Variables include family criminal history, family life, education, entry and release dates, offenses, treatment and training while incarcerated, gang affiliation, psychological evaluation, drug use, employment history, and marital status. Part 5, Social History Data, contains lifestyle characteristics by age and year. Variables include drug and alcohol use, marital status, living arrangements, and employment history. All files contain age and race variables.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

None.

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Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

1999-02-03

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