ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a theoretical analysis of the age distribution of criminal involvement. Since neither infants nor the elderly possess the prowess and agility required for some forms of crime, some association between age and criminal involvement can be expected on biological grounds alone. The chapter explains juvenile theft in terms of structural obstacles to legitimate sources of funds at a time when peer-oriented leisure activities require access to financial resources implicitly characterizes this form of delinquency as instrumentally rational; the theory assumes that money and goods are stolen because they are useful. Many observers have remarked on the disproportionate involvement of males in delinquent activity and the exaggerated masculine posturing that characterizes much male delinquency. Though sex differences in delinquency are not as pronounced in self-report studies as in arrest reports, and seem to be gradually narrowing, they nevertheless remain considerable, especially in the violence offense categories.
