This study examined long-term outcome for middle-class offenders after conviction.
The long-term outcome for middle-class offenders after conviction is an under-researched area in criminology. This present study considers 317 offenderswith a follow-up of at least 35 yearswho are seeking white-collar employment after conviction. On the basis of their previous criminal history, five clusters of offenders can be identified using latent class analysis (LCA): low-rate white-collar, low-rate general, medium-rate acquisitive specialists, medium/high-rate generalists and high-rate generalists. Of the total series, 40 percent were reconvicted of any standard-list offence, 24 percent were reconvicted of a white-collar offence and 8 percent were reconvicted of a sex or violence offence. The study helps to support the notion that middle-class persons are very much part of 'the crime problem'. (Published Abstract)