I Still Suck at Everything: The Generality of Failure and Future Arrest

ABSTRACT

The generality of failure theory links arrest – a “failure” at crime – to other failures later on in life such as getting a sexually transmitted disease or losing a job. Yet, this theoretical orientation also suggests the opposite may be true. Early life failures such as failing a class in school and becoming an underage parent may be a marker of an individual likely to fail at crime later in life. We test this theory using eleven waves of data from the Pathways to Desistance survey. Findings demonstrate that both personal failures (e.g., becoming an underage parent, failing a class) and public failures (e.g., being fired from a job, suspended from school) early in life are significantly associated with failing at crime later in life. Results persist even after accounting for a wide range of potential confounding factors such as criminal offending, illicit substance use, IQ, and self-control. Findings highlight the utility of the generality of failure theory in understanding deviant behavior.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by the Center for Family and Demographic Research, Bowling Green State University, which has core funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2CHD050959).

Notes on contributors

Thomas J. Mowen

Thomas J. Mowen is in the Department of Sociology at Bowling Green State University. His research examines the effect of punishment on youth and family outcomes and the role of family within the process of reentry from prison. Tom’s recent work has appeared in Criminology, Justice Quarterly, and Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency.

Samantha Kopf

Samantha Kopf is a graduate student in the Department of Sociology at Bowling Green State University. Her research examines the interplay between youth delinquency and family, romantic, and employment outcomes.

Ryan D. Schroeder

Ryan D. Schroeder is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia Southern University. His research addresses desistance processes, drug use, emotional development, family functioning, and religious processes.