Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Criminology

Major Professor

Bryanna Fox, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Richard K. Moule, Jr., Ph.D.

Committee Member

Thomas Loughran, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Michael Rocque, Ph.D.

Keywords

Development, Dynamic, Group-Based, Heterogeneity, Static, Trajectory

Abstract

This dissertation partially tested a newer integrated theory, the Integrated Maturation Theory (IMT) of desistance. IMT argues that as maturation increases across five maturation domains (social role, civic, identity, psychosocial, and neurocognitive) the likelihood of offending decreases. Using a sample of serious justice-involved juveniles spanning ages 14-24 from the Pathways to Desistance Study, the individual and simultaneous maturation domain development of the social role, civic, identity, and psychosocial maturation domains, were explored for heterogeneity. Using a group-based trajectory modeling approach, including multi-trajectory modeling, this study advanced the understanding of maturation development by identifying sub-groups following declining trajectories of maturation and examining how maturation domains develop simultaneously across sub-groups. When considering how these maturation sub-groups relate to measures of both static and dynamic definitions of desistance, sub-groups with higher levels of maturation were more likely to be categorized as desisting. Under a dynamic definition of desistance, sub-groups with lower levels of maturation were more likely to be categorized as persisting. Findings suggest that further theoretical consideration is warranted around if the absence of social role and civic maturation indicators truly means that an individual is not mature. Additionally, further theoretical consideration should be given to what aspect of maturation matters for desistance; is it the change in maturation or is it the level of maturation. Findings supported prior literature that found strong impacts of psychosocial and identity maturation on offending, areas on policies and programs should target to encourage desistance. Lastly, IMT helped reconcile Robins’ paradox, with the level of maturation explaining why most individuals desist from crime and a smaller subset persists. Future work is needed to examine if the decreasing trajectories exist outside of this sample, if there is a threshold for which individuals are considered mature and thus more likely to desist, and how the inclusion of the neurocognitive maturation domain may impact simultaneous development.

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