Date of Award

1-1-2023

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

School of Criminal Justice

Content Description

1 online resource (vii, 128 pages) : illustrations (some color)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Matt Vogel

Committee Members

David McDowall, William Pridemore, Glenn Deane

Keywords

age–crime relationship, cohort effects, population dynamics, Criminal behavior, Prediction of, Criminal statistics, Arrest, Crime and age

Subject Categories

Criminology

Abstract

The age–crime relationship has been a theoretical and empirical puzzle for criminologists for decades. Although the age–crime curve is often considered a stylized fact, a large body of research suggests that the age–crime relationship is dynamic under the influence of age, period, and cohort effects. The impact of these effects can vary across different social contexts, as the consistency or variability in socio-economic and cultural factors experienced by consecutive generations or populations differs in each context. Thus, the extent to which age, period, and cohort effects contribute to the age–crime relationship in various social contexts is a question that requires further investigation. In particular, the age–crime relationship in Korea, which largely differs from the archetypical age–crime curve and has varied considerably within the country over the last four decades, offers a rich empirical context for better understanding age, period, and cohort effects. Using age- and gender-specific arrest data for the years 1976–2019, this dissertation contextualizes how age, period, and cohort effects contribute to the age–crime relationship in Korea. Study 1 revisits the age and sex compositional effect on homicide rates in Korea, a country that has undergone significant demographic shifts and rapid socio-economic changes in the past 70 years. Study 2 examines whether cohorts characterized by high birth rates, or a higher sex ratio contribute to the increase in the peak age of offending during the last four decades. Study 3 compares the stability of cohort effects among three consecutive birth cohorts with large cohort sizes, which share similar demographic characteristics but have distinct sociohistorical experiences amid Korea's rapid social changes. These three empirical studies contribute to our understanding of the dynamic nature of the age–crime relationship shaped by population dynamics and social context, offering empirical and theoretical insights into the interplay among age, period, and cohort effects.

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