| Studies in the past have revealed many empirical findings about co-offending, but relatively few attention is paid to the explanation of co-offending patterns. Until now, there is no theoretical perspective that accounts for all characteristics of co-offending and its varieties and dynamics. In this paper a comprehensive theory of co-offending is proposed. The basic idea is that co-offending can be regarded as an event in which material and inmaterial goods are exchanged. Co-offenders do not only offer instrumental services or shares in criminal profits to each other, but also information, social acdeptance and appreciation. In the paper the circumstances and variables that influence this social exchange will be described in detail. The 'social exchange' theory of co-offending is applicable to complex criminal co-operation as well as to youthful offending in groups. The paper shows how the theory can generate explanations for the variation between individuals and offense types in frequency, intensity and form of co-offending, the occurrence of instigators and recruiters, and in the change i offending groups and accomplice networks. |
Updated 05/20/2006