Organised crime and criminal careers: Findings from an Australian sample

A growing number of international studies have shown members of organised crime groups have different criminal career trajectories to volume crime offenders.

This study analysed the recorded criminal histories of a sample of 3,007 individuals affiliated with known organised crime groups. Trajectory analysis revealed four distinct offending trajectories, differentiated by their onset, peak and frequency of offending. Consistent with overseas studies, there was a large group of late-onset offenders. Groups also differed in offending versatility, seriousness and escalation.

Further analysis, including of offence types, revealed that individuals varied in their criminal careers prior to their involvement in organised crime offending, indicative of the different recruitment pathways that exist.

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