Explaining patterns of offending across the life course: Comments on interactional theory and recent tests based on the RYDS-RIS data

This article assesses "interactional theory' and recent developmental research based on that theory. The author argues that the unique contributions of interactional theory would be enhanced by greater formalization of the theory and comparisons of the theory's hypotheses to other developmental and criminological theories. Patterns of offending across the life course would be better understood if more longitudinal data sets were made accessible to investigators with other perspectives and areas of expertise.