Romantic Partnerships and Criminal Desistance: Considering the Role of Partner’s Socioeconomic Characteristics

• In Event: Life-Course Transitions and Desistance from Crime

Abstract

Over the past two decades, research examining the influence of romantic partners on criminal desistance has steadily increased, with most studies reporting crime-reducing effects of marriage, and to a lesser extent, cohabitation. Despite the advancement of this literature, far less research has considered the role that romantic partner’s personal characteristics play in the desistance process. The few studies that have investigated this issue have focused on partner’s antisocial behavior and negative emotionality. However, there are other partner characteristics that are likely important to adult offending. The current study extends this line of inquiry by investigating whether and to what degree the effects of marriage and cohabitation on criminal desistance depend on romantic partner’s socioeconomic characteristics. Drawing on the life-course perspective, we suggest that entering into a romantic partnership with a financially stable partner provides individuals with tangible benefits (e.g., housing and material goods) that makes engaging in crime costlier, whereas partners who have fewer economic resources may fail to dissuade offending. We consider this issue with data from the NLSY97. Random-effects models are employed to examine within-individual effects of partner’s education, employment status, and income on criminal arrest during young adulthood. Gender differences are examined.

Authors

• Alex O. Widdowson, Florida State University

• Carter Hay, Florida State University

• Sonja Siennick, Florida State University