NCJ Number
181784
Journal
Criminology Volume: 38 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2000 Pages: 1-24
Editor(s)
Robert J. Bursik Jr.
Date Published
2000
Length
24 pages
Annotation
The president of the American Society of Criminology indicates that there has been a significant increase in the influence of the risk factor paradigm in the field of criminology during the 1990's, and describes a paradigm that aims to identify key risk factors for offending in longitudinal studies and to implement prevention methods designed to counteract these risk factors in experimental studies.
Abstract
The paradigm has fostered linkages between explanation and prevention; between fundamental and applied research; and between scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. It has encouraged the globalization of knowledge, cross-national comparative studies, and the application of similar strategies for research and action in several different countries. Main challenges for the paradigm are to determine which risk factors are causes, to identify protective factors, to identify active ingredients of multiple component interventions, to evaluate the effectiveness of area-based intervention programs, and to assess monetary costs and benefits of interventions. The paradigm can be improved using longitudinal and experimental studies. Ideally, an international network of researchers should collaborate in investigating and explaining results in different countries. 70 references