AbstractAge differences in rule‐breaking have been widely noted and widely explained, but rarely if ever have sociological explanations been subjected to actual test. This study examines such age differences among women in prison and lends support to the notion that age differences are more characteristic of inmates with urban backgrounds than of inmates with rural or small town backgrounds. Moreover, among urban inmates age differences appear to be due to age‐related normative orientations and commitments rather than age “itself” or related losses of “energy,”“daring,” or “vigor.” Finally, the study supports recurring arguments that non‐constitutional characteristics of inmates can shape normative and behavioral confl