摘要
生命歷程犯罪學的源起，係由年齡與犯罪關係解謎而來，然而理論發展最重要的推手乃1986年美國國家委員會有關犯罪生涯與生涯犯罪人兩份研究報告。其後因長期性追蹤研究與自陳報告技術的綜合使用，大量的實證資料支撐下，犯罪生涯的研究典範歷經幾番調整。在一連串發展下，因對理論的需求，促成了發展性及生命歷程犯罪學的發展，相關理論填補了犯罪生涯研究典範的理論空缺。Sampson及Laub於2005年首度提出「生命歷程犯罪學」企圖與發展性犯罪學區隔，目前已漸次在犯罪學文獻及教科書上發現其蹤跡，並逐漸佔有一席之地。他們主張兩者均在解釋犯罪隨生命發展的變化，但生命歷程更著重於觀察個體內行為隨時間的變化，強調縱貫性長期追蹤、大量的實證分析及動態的理論解釋，尤其當承認個體成年時期的轉折點與主體動力作用之時，發展性犯罪學的分類「隱喻」名詞是否還具意義？Cullen(2011)也認為必須承認生命歷程犯罪學為犯罪學，因它並非與傳統理論相競合，相反地，它整合了更多傳統理論，並將犯罪研究焦點從青少年時期移轉開來。生命歷程犯罪學特別與公共政策相關並受其所形塑，其理論觀點之「軌道」與「轉折點」可分別被概念化成「犯罪預防」與「減少再犯」。未來，在刑事政策的發展應注意刑事司法嚴厲制裁的反效果、協助犯罪人中止犯罪及提供社會支持的力量。
並列摘要
The life-course criminology originates from the puzzle-solving of the relationship between age and crime. However, the theoretical development can be attributed to the two volumes of research report, Criminal Careers and Career Criminals, issued by the NRC in 1986. Combining the longitudinal study with the self-report research method and due to bountiful empirical data support, the criminal career paradigm has evolved several times. Among these evolutions, the call for theoretical needs induces the development of developmental and life-course criminology (DLC) which fill the theoretical void of the criminal career paradigm. In 2005, Sampson and Laub coined a term of life-course criminology, trying to distinguish it (their theory) from the developmental criminology. They argue that theories of DLC explain crime changes with the development of the life, but the life-course perspectives focus more on within-individual changes, longitudinal research method, empirical analysis, and dynamic theoretical explanations. Especially, when we admit the influences of transitions in adulthood and the exertion of human agency, are the metaphors of the developmental criminology still meaningful? Cullen (2011) also argues that we must accept that life-course criminology is criminology, for that it does not compete with traditional theories but incorporates more, and it shifts the focus away from the dominant adolescence framework. The life-course criminology especially is in relation to public policies which are affected by it. Its perspectives of trajectory and transition can be respectively conceptualized as crime prevention and recidivism reduction. From the perspectives of the life-course criminology, in the future, we should pay more attention to that sever criminal sanctions backfire, focus more on policies that provide criminals with social support, and assist them in desistance from crime.