Age of onset (criminology)

Age of onset is an important factor in criminology because it helps researchers figure out when people start committing crimes. People usually start committing crimes at a young age (around 12 or 13) and the earlier they start, the more likely they are to become career criminals. Age of onset helps researchers understand why someone might become a criminal - if they started committing crimes early on, they were more likely to keep doing it. Understanding the age of onset can help researchers come up with better policies to prevent crime.