Revisiting a Criminological Classic: The Cycle of Violence

• In Event: Theory Based Victimology

Abstract

There is a growing “replication crisis” in the social and behavioral sciences, where original research across a wide array of substantive areas has failed to replicate when conducted by others. This problem highlights the importance of carefully revisiting original research—particularly studies that have exerted a significant influence over the field. Accordingly, in the present study we subject Widom’s (1989) classic work on the “cycle of violence” to a rigorous empirical replication and extension. In the process, we subject her original data to alternative analytic techniques, and to different measurement strategies and model specifications. These analyses are conducted in an effort to see whether the overall “narrative” that emerged from Widom’s (1989) findings would have remained the same if the data were approached in other ways. These results and their implications for future research are discussed.

Authors

• Kristin M. Lloyd, Florida State University

• Wesley M. Myers, Florida State University

• Jillian Turanovic, Florida State University

• Travis Pratt, University of Cincinnati