NCJ Number
108164
Date Published
1987
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines age, sex, race, and social class correlates of criminal behavior.
Abstract
Crime is strongly correlated with both age and sex. Young males are disproportionately involved in crime. Overall, crime decreases with increasing age, although the relationship is curvilinear, with crime increasing during adolescence, peaking in late adolescence/young adulthood, and decreasing thereafter. Males are much more criminal than females, particularly in violent crime against persons and property. However, women have increased their participation in petty forms of property crime. These sex differences are probably related to socialization and sex-role expectations. Native Canadians are disproportionately overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Alcohol plays a major role in the crimes of native Canadians and directly or indirectly contributes to this overrepresentation. The exact relationship between crime and social class is subject to controversy, although evidence suggests that the correlation is bimodal, with crime rates the highest at both the bottom and the top of the class structure. 3 figures and 8 annotated references. (Author summary modified)