Desistance from Crime: Past to Present

Cognitive-behavioral reciprocity: Testing the bidirectional relationship between antisocial cognition and delinquency.

“…As stated in the previous section, reciprocal or bidirectional effects can keep an individual locked in a negative pattern of behavior that over time leads to increased involvement in delinquency and crime. The previous statement, however, presents a conundrum of sorts in that we know that most justice-involved youths, even serious ones, do not go on to commit serious adult crimes (Copp et al, 2020; Rocque & Slivken, 2019; Stouthamer-Loeber et al, 2004). Solving this puzzle requires that we acknowledge that the effects of bidirectionality are not exclusively negative.…”