Work as a turning point in the life course of criminals: A duration model of age, employment, and recidivism
Abstract
Sociologists have increasingly emphasized “turningpoints” in explaining behavioral change over the life course. Is work a turning point in the life course of criminal offenders? If criminals are provided with jobs, are they likely to stop committing crimes? Prior research is inconclusive because work effects have been biased by selectivity and obscured by the interaction of age and employment. This study yields more refined estimates by specifying event history models to analyze assignment to, eligibility for, and current participation in a national work experiment for criminal offenders. Age is found to interact with employment to affect the rate of self-reported recidivism: Those aged 27 or older are less likely to report crime and arrest when provided with marginal employment opportunities than when such opportunities are not provided. Among young participants, those in their teens and early twenties, the experimental job treatment had little effect on crime. Work thus appears to be a turning point for older, but not younger, offenders.
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Limited future employment opportunities and earnings potential are among the strongest predictors of recidivism.
“which themselves are among the strongest predictors of recidivism (Shover 1996; Sampson and Laub 1993; Uggen 2000).”
From The Mark of a Criminal Record (2003) · cites this paper as Uggen 2000
Research consistently shows that finding quality steady employment is one of the strongest predictors of desistance from crime.
“Research consistently shows that finding quality steady employment is one of the strongest predictors of desistance from crime (Shover 1996; Sampson and Laub 1993; Uggen 2000).”
From The Mark of a Criminal Record (2003) · cites this paper as Uggen 2000
All successful employment-based interventions combined vocational training and individualized assistance in acquiring jobs.
“All successful interventions combined vocational training and individualized assistance in acquiring jobs.49,51,54”
From Community investment interventions as a means for decarceration: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [54]
The National Supported Work Demonstration Project found an age-varying effect: participants 26 or younger experienced no reduction in rearrest rates at three years (55% vs 54%, p>0.05), while participants ages 27 or greater experienced an 11% decrease (p<0.001) in rearrest rates.
“This study found an age-varying effect of the intervention: those 26 years old or younger experienced no reduction in rearrest rates at three years (55% versus 54%, p>0.05) but participants ages 27 years or greater experienced an 11% decrease (p<0.001) in rearrest rates.54”
From Community investment interventions as a means for decarceration: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [54]
Common themes in unsuccessful employment and social support interventions included not considering the participants' strengths or interests, starting in the community (as opposed to during incarceration), or offering employment opportunities limited to only low-skill, minimum wage work.
“Common themes in unsuccessful employment and social support interventions included not considering the participants’ strengths or interests, starting in the community (as opposed to during incarceration) or offering employment opportunities limited to only low-skill, minimum wage work.48,50,52,54”
From Community investment interventions as a means for decarceration: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [54]
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References 71 · Cited by 1,079
- Authors
- Uggen, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Corresponding author
- Uggen, Christopher
- ORCID
- Uggen, Christopher
- Venue
- American Sociological Review
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2000-08
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 529-546
- ISSN
- 0003-1224 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-8271
- OpenAlex
- W2325614641
- Cited by
- 1,079
- References
- 71
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 68 · 2019: 58 · 2018: 58 · 2017: 65 · 2016: 88 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 68 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 53
- FWCI
- 58.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Law › Criminal Justice and Penology
- Keywords
- recidivism, offenders, employment, age, life course, marginal employment, event history models, selectivity, reentry
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