Citation

Bushway SD, Piquero AR, Broidy LM, Cauffman E, Mazerolle P. Criminology 2001; 39(2): 491-516.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, American Society of Criminology)

DOI

10.1111/j.1745-9125.2001.tb00931.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent reviews of the desistance literature have advocated studying desistance as a process, yet current empirical methods continue to measure desistance as a discrete state. In this paper, we propose a framework for empirical research that recognizes desistance as a developmental process. This approach focuses on changes in the offending rate rather than on offending itself. We describe a statistical model to implement this approach and provide an empirical example. We conclude with several suggestions for future research endeavors that arise from our conceptualization of desistance.