Developmental criminology: Toward more practice-oriented, well-designed, long-term, and replicated prevention studies

• In Event: Lightning Talk: What’s Wrong with Developmental and Biopsychosocial Criminology – And How Can We Put It Right?

Abstract

Developmental and life-course criminology contains two main areas of research: 1) Correlational studies on risk and protective factors of delinquent development (including aggravation and desistance), and 2) (quasi-) experimental research on developmental prevention (that is highly relevant for practice and policy making). In the latter field, numerous programs have been developed and implemented. The planned presentation will briefly address the current state of developmental prevention using various data sources: a) own experience in primary research on child- and family-oriented prevention programs, b) own systematic reviews and meta-analyses on developmental prevention, and c) international registries and surveys on evaluations. Although there is progress in the field, various shortcomings are clearly visible and need to be addressed in further research and practice. Some paths for the way forward will be proposed, for example, more practice-oriented, well-designed, long-term evaluations, and replicated evaluations.

Author

• Friedrich Lösel, Cambridge University / University of Erlangen-Nuremberg