Abstract
The written autobiographical accounts of three life-course offenders, which were published following extended life-course offending, were analyzed using a theory-led thematic analysis. The protagonists were each responsible for a broad range of acquisitive and violent crimes, although different offense types are often studied as separate entities. The utility of narrative theory was explored as a life-course theory by contrasting its framework with these disparate areas of inquiry, along the developmental trajectory of the protagonist’s account. Findings showed that onset began with trait-driven and versatile offending, which progressed toward specialization, incorporating modus operandi and rational choice making. Specialization was underpinned by themes of violence and control. The concluding themes dealt with the process of desistance, which was facilitated by a series of cognitive shifts, allowing these offenders to retain a core element of the “self.” Results further showed that narrative-identity played an influential role in the development of specialization and eventual desistance, but less so with onset. Narrative theory has the potential to aid understanding of the criminal life-course trajectory, which in turn can assist in both detection and rehabilitation processes.
Highlights
Narrative theory has the potential to provide an explanation for criminality over the extended careers of what Moffitt (1993) called “life-course” offenders, where onset begins in early adolescence and continues into late adulthood
Research has shown that many young offenders have traits that hinder normal development and socialization (Crick & Dodge, 1994, 1996) which are stable across the life course (Moffitt, Caspi, Harrington, & Milne, 2002)
Based on the limited results of this exploration, narrative theory when applied to life-course offenders does have utility, but more work is needed as an explanation for early onset
Summary
Narrative theory has the potential to provide an explanation for criminality over the extended careers of what Moffitt (1993) called “life-course” offenders, where onset begins in early adolescence and continues into late adulthood. As lifecourse offenders are by definition repeat offenders (Halliday, 2001), many go through periods of “versatility” before “specialising” in particular offense types (Farrington, Synder, & Finnegan, 1988; Klein, 1984). Versatility in this context means different offense types, such as dishonesty, vandalism, and violence, and can be clustered around certain age groups (Soothill, Francis, & Fligelstone, 2002).
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