Moffitt’s Developmental Taxonomy and Gang Membership

• Author: Melissa A. Petkovsek,Brian B. Boutwell,J. C. Barnes,Kevin M. Beaver
• Published date: 01 October 2016
• Date: 01 October 2016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204015581389
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Moffitt’s Developmental

Taxonomy and Gang

Membership: An Alternative

Test of the Snares Hypothesis

Melissa A. Petkovsek

1

, Brian B. Boutwell

2,3

, J. C. Barnes

4

,

and Kevin M. Beaver

5,6

Abstract

Moffitt’s taxonomy remains an influential theoretical framework within criminology. Despite much

empirical scrutiny, comparatively less time has been spent testing the snares component of Moffitt’s

work. Specifically, are there factors that might engender continued criminal involvement for indi-

viduals otherwise likely to desist? The current study tested whether gang membership increased the

odds of contact with the justice system for each of the offender groups specified in Moffitt’s original

developmental taxonomy. Our findings provided little evidence that gang membership increased the

odds of either adolescence-limited or life-course persistent offenders being processed through

the criminal justice system. Moving forward, scholars may wish to shift attention to alternative

variables—beyond gang membership—when testing the snares hypothesis.

Keywords

Moffitt’s developmental taxonomy, gang membership, snares, delinquency

Moffitt’s (1993) developmental taxonomy accomplished much in the way of explaining the devel-

opment of both chronic and intermittent criminal behavior over the life course. Aside from describ-

ing the developmental trajectories into crime (Moffitt, 2006; Sampson & Laub, 2005), one of the key

features of Moffitt’s work was the specification of pathways leading to desistance (Bushway,

Piquero, Broidy, Cauffman, & Mazerolle, 2001). In other words, the developmental taxonomy

attempted to explain why most members of the population (i.e., adolescence-limited [AL] offenders)

1

Department of Criminal Justice, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO, USA

2

School of Social Work, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA

3

Department of Epidemiology (Joint Appointment), Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA

4

School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

5

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

6

Center for Social and Humanities Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author:

Melissa A. Petkovsek, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Central Missouri, 300 Humphreys, Warrensburg,

MO 64093, USA.

Email: petkovsek@ucmo.edu

Youth Violence and JuvenileJustice

2016, Vol. 14(4) 335-349

ªThe Author(s) 2015

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DOI: 10.1177/1541204015581389

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