NCJ Number
146014
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1993) Pages: 426-444
Date Published
1993
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The author examines current community-level and longitudinal approaches to criminological inquiry, and proposes dynamic contextualism as a promising alternative for the future.
Abstract
Dynamic contextualism links developmental and historical insights, human agency and structure, dynamic event structures and context, process and social change, qualitative and quantitative narrative and causal explanation, and ultimately, time and place. A central theme is recognition of the fact that individual lives and macro- level forces (e.g., community) progress asynchronously. Children's and young adults' conceptualization of the utility of social investment in such institutions as school, work, and family are evolving. Social capital is decreasing over time--in families, communities, and society at large. A key indicator is the recent large increase in youth--but not adult--crime. 6 endnotes and 47 references