This research explores race and gender as factors affecting patterns of criminality across the life-course. Using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, composite offense indexes are measured against an array of social control and life transition factors to determine the extent to which patterns of offending are distinct by race and gender. Findings reveal that significant differences in offending exist for whites and non-whites, as well as for males and females, with these differences explained by unique configurations of social factors. The paper concludes with a discussion of future directions for research that explore differing cultural and ethnic definitions of race and gender and how such definitions may explain cross-cultural criminality more completely.