NCJ Number
213832
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 43 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2006 Pages: 119-147
Date Published
May 2006
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This article develops the concept of "storylines" as an important component in understanding criminal behavior.
Abstract
Storylines are "temporally limited, interrelated sets of events and conditions" that increase the chances an individual will engage in criminal activities. This article identified five storylines that increase the chances of crime: (1) a desperate need for money; (2) an unresolved dispute; (3) close involvement with criminal others; (4) a tempting opportunity for crime; and (5) a temporary break from conventional others and institutions. The author argues that criminologists and other researchers who study crime have overlooked the importance of storylines in favor of a focus on background and situational factors. While background and situational factors are indeed important to an understanding of criminal behavior, it is also necessary to study those events and situations that increase the likelihood of criminal behavior. An examination of storylines can lead to a better understanding of the background and situational factors influencing crime and can enhance intervention methods by targeting specific storylines that have been shown to increase criminal behavior. In order to identify those storylines conducive to crime, the author drew on qualitative research to explore emerging storylines and then relied on the leading crime theories to explain why these storylines increase the chances of criminal behavior. Future research should focus on developing measures of the storylines described in this article. Figure, notes, references