Males predominate among juvenile shoplifters, but the majority of adult shoplifters are women.
The authors speculate that shoplifting might be most prevalent among relatively young and relatively old people because these groups are the least likely to be prosecuted after apprehension. Studies into the motivation of shoplifters point to economic disadvantage and psychological and social stress as major reasons for offending. In the case of women, it is difficult to disentangle economic and psychological motivations, as the two often go together. Marriage breakdown or separation, for example, are likely to cause a decrease in income and an increase in emotional stress for many women. The groups were compared on demographic and relevant background information, psychological stressors preceding the offence and general psychological profile.