CAVAN'S CONTINUUM OF BEHAVIOR: A PROPOSED CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR THE EXPANSION OF NARROWLY FOCUSED CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY

ABSTRACT

This paper is an effort to illustrate how Ruth Shonle Cavan's (1961) concept of the “continuum of behavior” can be used as another way to broaden criminological theory. Cavan's work was selected because her conceptualization lends itself most readily to a visual expansion of traditional theories. In addition, her “continuum of behavior” was chosen to highlight the work of an early pioneer woman in criminology whose contributions have been ignored and/or trivalized by mainstream theorists.