What term describes the idea that chronic juvenile offenders are likely to continue breaking the law into adulthood?

The idea that chronic juvenile offenders are likely to continue breaking the law into adulthood is best described by the term "continuity of crime." This concept suggests that the patterns of criminal behavior established during adolescence tend to persist into later stages of life, indicating a stable trajectory of delinquency. Research has shown that those who engage in delinquent behavior at a young age often carry these patterns into adulthood, resulting in chronic offending.

In contrast, desistance refers to the process of ceasing criminal behavior, which does not align with the notion of ongoing patterns in offending likely to continue into adulthood. Recidivism specifically pertains to the tendency for an individual to reoffend after having been previously convicted, which also does not capture the broader idea of chronic offenses starting from youth. Transitional delinquency refers to temporary involvement in delinquent activities, which does not encompass the persistent nature of the criminal behavior described in the context of chronic juvenile offenders.