Abstract
AbstractWithin the United Kingdom, 75% of young men aged 18–25 will reoffend within two years of being released from prison, yet we still do not know enough about how underlying protective mechanisms contribute to positive outcomes for those who have engaged in antisocial behaviour. This study explored the mechanisms that support young men's resilience to reoffending. The aim was to inform the approach of practitioners working with this population, in particular counselling psychologists, and to contribute to youth justice policy. Additionally, young people who are involved in crime are often discussed in the literature on youth offending and mental health, yet rarely given the chance to tell their story of changing their trajectory. Eight young men, aged 18–25, with previous involvement in the criminal justice system were interviewed using narrative enquiry with an emphasis on the subjective experiences that nurtured their resilient pathways. The study drew on Hart, Blincow and Thomas’ Resilience Framework (Hart, Blincow, & Thomas, 2007) to categorise the data. The young men's accounts highlighted that mechanisms within all the categories of the Resilience Therapy (Hart, Blincow & Thomas, 2007) framework were pertinent in nurturing resilient pathways: Basics, Belonging, Learning, Coping and Core Self. The study further demonstrated how the young men's contexts were significant in fostering their resilience to reoffending. The findings suggest the importance of a counselling and psychotherapy approach that targets both social and individual mechanisms to facilitate growth. In a context with significant social, economic and political challenges, the absence of a two‐pronged approach will limit the young men's resilience to surviving.
Highlights
A House of Commons Justice Committee report (Justice Committee, 2016, p. 13) concluded that, 'there is a strong case for a distinct approach to the treatment of young adults in the criminal justice system' and that, '[d]ealing effectively with young adults while the brain is still developing is crucial for them in making successful transitions to a crime-free adulthood'
The latest Child Poverty Strategy showed that 30% of children and young people in the UK are living in relative poverty; links between poverty and the impact on well-being have been well-documented (Department for Work and Pensions [DWP], 2019)
For a young person who has engaged in crime, holding a resilience lens acknowledges this will have an impact on their identity and their sense of place in the world, their coping skills may be compromised developmentally, they may require skills or knowledge development, and structural challenges they face, such as poor housing, transport, and income are addressed in the 'basics' category of our resilience framework (Hart et al, 2007)
Summary
A House of Commons Justice Committee report (Justice Committee, 2016, p. 13) concluded that, 'there is a strong case for a distinct approach to the treatment of young adults in the criminal justice system' and that, '[d]ealing effectively with young adults while the brain is still developing is crucial for them in making successful transitions to a crime-free adulthood'. For therapies such as psychoanalytic, cognitive and attachment approaches, this is an explicit goal with far-reaching and protective functions for vulnerable children Whether it is to develop 'reflective self-functioning’ (Fonagy, Steele, Moran, Steele, & Higgitt, 1993), to address 'depressive cognitions’ (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979), and/or to develop a pattern of 'secure attachment’ (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978), such work plays an important part in resilience-based programmes. For a young person who has engaged in crime, holding a resilience lens acknowledges this will have an impact on their identity (core-self) and their sense of place in the world (belonging), their coping skills may be compromised developmentally (coping), they may require skills or knowledge development (learning), and structural challenges they face, such as poor housing, transport, and income are addressed in the 'basics' category of our resilience framework (Hart et al, 2007). The young men involved co-produced a user-friendly guide to promoting resilience to reoffending, which was used to support their skills development, promoting resilience to reoffending whilst ensuring their voices continued to be represented and disseminated (Changing Lanes, 2020)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
