American International Journal of Social Science

Risk Factors in Childhood Anti-social Behavior and Adulthood Criminal Career
Dr. Ogaga Ayemo OBARO

Abstract
The aim of this paper is to espouse what is known about human development and criminal careers. The study of criminal careers is of increasing interest in criminology. It is now generally recognized that it is important to try to understand criminal behavior across the life-course rather than focusing on fragmented incidents which provide only a partial picture of criminal behavior. This paper clarifies the crucial theoretical and methodological issues surrounding the study of criminal careers. It focuses on some major longitudinal studies discussing the onset, persistence, desistance and the duration of a criminal career. The important issues of prediction, risk and specialization are addressed. Criminal career has important implications, given that significant criminal justice, social and health policies such as crime control, and correctional treatment and management are predicated on achieving the reduction of criminal careers of serious and repeat offenders. The challenging question that points the way forward is: ‘when do ex-offenders become like non-offenders?’

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