Understanding the Role of Marriage in Black Women's Offending Over the Life Course.

To the degree that women's pathways to offending are shaped by their socioeconomic marginalization, the practical benefits of marriage (e.g., economic improvement) might surpass other traditionally recognized mechanisms of desistance (e.g., social bonds) in their importance. Future life course research should highlight the complexity of lived experiences by explicitly considering one's race, gender, and social-structural position.