Career Criminals

Career criminals are a group of offenders who repeatedly commit crimes over the course of their lifetime. They represent a small percentage of the overall offending population—less than 20 percent—but are responsible for the majority of crimes. Sociologists have found that most career criminals demonstrate criminal behavior in early adolescence, but since most young offenders who run afoul of the law respond positively to various criminal justice interventions, one cannot say whether a young offender is one of the many who mature out of delinquency or is one who will persist over time. Studies have found that adult career criminals recidivate at very high rates and commit dozens, if not hundreds, of crimes over the course of their lifetimes. This high volume of offending behavior ...