Patterns of Crime in a Birth Cohort

Linda M. Collins, Norman Cliff, Robert A. Cudeck, Douglas J. McCormick, Judith L. Zatkin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Most attempts at developing typologies of criminal behavior have not involved empirical research. This paper describes an exploratory empirical approach to identifying patterns in criminal behavior. Two data-reduction techniques, factor analysis and cluster analysis, are applied to the official arrest records of a Danish birth cohort of 28,879 men. Four factors emerged from the factor analysis: GENERAL CRIME, TRAFFIC OFFENSES, WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, and SEX OFFENSES. The cluster analysis revealed GENERAL CRIME and TRAFFIC OFFENSES clusters. A substantial number of offenses are shown by both analyses to be independent of any pattern. The results show good split-sample cross-validation and for the most part are robust across the two analytic approaches.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)235-257
Number of pages23
JournalMultivariate Behavioral Research
Volume18
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 7 1983

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Statistics and Probability
  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)

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