Transformation of the Age Structure of Criminals in Russia and Abroad

Abstract

Russia, as well as other countries, has been experiencing demographic changes in the recent decades — increasing average age, growing share of older people, dropping birth rates, which, in their turn, are reflected in the age of perpetrators. The works of Russian scholars are mainly dedicated to criminality of specific age categories, while complex studies of the age of criminals remain rare. The author of the article discusses the problems of determining the limits of age groups, presents recommendations on their optimization with the goal of improving the effectiveness of comparative studies and the reliability of the analysis of age and cohort effects. The author also analyzes foreign experience of studying age as a criminologically relevant factor, the evolution of approaches to studying the «age — crime» curve, and presents key trends in the development of the age and gender features of offenders in the USA and the European countries. It is concluded that the emerging trend in Russia is the increasing age of an average offender. Currently, in terms of volume and specific weight, the dominant age group of criminals is that of 30–49 years (57 % of convicts), the number of offenders who are 50 years and older is growing steadily, while there is a decrease in the share of younger convicts (from 60 to 34 % in the last 20 years) and the criminal activities of minors. There are changes in the character of crimes committed by representatives of one cohort in different age periods while their criminal activity is preserved. Thus, persons who committed crimes in 1990s when they were 14–17 years old, continue their criminal activity in 2020s in the age group of 30–49 years. There is a growing share of female offenders of older and senior age compared to the similar indices for male offenders: 59 % of female convicts are 30–49 years old (54 % of male convicts), and 15 % are 50 years old and older (12 % of male convicts). The identified trends in the changes of age and gender features of Russian offenders are compared with the global trends, and the differences between specific countries are pointed out. The author discusses the specific influence of the period and cohort effect on the formation of the current age structure of offenders in Russia and presents some suggestions regarding the causes and the forecast of the dynamics of criminal activities of different age groups.