Life Event Calendars in Criminology Research: An Overview and Critique

• In Event: Using and Analyzing Life Event Calendars in Criminological Research

Abstract

Life event calendars (LECs) have become increasingly popular both in social sciences generally and criminology specifically. This paper examines life events calendars in the context of criminology research and provides both an overview of the method along with a discussion of possible best uses. Additionally, issues related to recall and data quality are discussed with special attention given to using LECs with high risk and/or offender populations. Finally, future directions for the method are discussed.

Author

• Jen Roberts, Indiana University of Pennsylvania