Understanding Of Desistance Research Articles

Rethinking social capital in the desistance process: The ‘Artful Dodger’ complex

Social capital has become a core component of our understanding of desistance in recent years. Some of this work, however, seems to present social capital as inherently positive, suggesting that increasing stocks in social capital is fundamental to the desistance process. Knowledge surrounding exactly how social capital is utilized within the desistance process, with the exception of acquiring social capital as a social good, remains underexplored. Through an analysis of the desistance narratives of young adult men serving community orders under the supervision of the probation service in England and Wales, this article argues that, instead of being considered to be inherently good, social capital is perhaps better thought of as value neutral, consisting of both positive and negative aspects (some of which occur simultaneously). Desistance, then, is not simply about obtaining social capital (because many people with convictions possess stocks of social capital that supported their offending); rather it is about reorienting the type of capital available to them at any given time, from relationships that imbue ‘anti-social capital’ to those that imbue ‘pro-social capital’. This distinction has significant theoretical and policy interventions, arguing that it is pro-social capital that the literature makes reference to in terms of supporting desistance efforts. The article concludes by offering some tentative suggestions for future research, along with ways in which this distinction can further support how we operationalize desistance within criminal justice policy and practice.

Special Issue on Desistance Across the Life-Course, Volume 2: Editorial Introduction

As we stated in the previous special issue on desistance across the life-course, research on this topic has come of age. The sheer volume of responses to our call for papers on this topic is testament to this, and we are pleased to present our readers with the second special issue of the Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology on this topic. As the previous special issue demonstrated, current research on desistance demonstrates theoretical richness, methodological sophistication and analytical breadth. The current collection of manuscripts further illustrates the importance of this area of scholarship for advancing knowledge and understanding of desistance across the life-course and the associated implications for theory, method and practise. Indeed, the included manuscripts illustrate the implications for understanding desistance when considering the time window under examination. Furthermore, the papers illustrate the importance of empirically testing leading theoretical understandings of desistance as well as in examining the associations and mechanisms linking the leading precursors of desistance. We could not be more thrilled by the response to this call for papers on desistance. It is anticipated that this growing collection of manuscripts will continue to spurn further theoretical and empirical interest on this topic over time. Indeed, by advancing the boundaries of extant theories and research on desistance, the current collections illuminate areas of confirmation and disconfirmation in respect of current knowledge and understanding of desistance across the life-course. Indeed, the seeds for asking new questions and advancing new insights may well spring from the expanding range of manuscripts on desistance that have been presented in the Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology. It is without doubt a fruitful time for research and theory on this important component of offending across the life-course and we are especially thankful to the many authors who are pursuing this area of scholarship.

The difference between desistance from sexual offending and not reoffending

ABSTRACTScholars have generally relied on a lack of sexual recidivism as an indicator of desistance, which can be misleading because desistance and the lack of recidivism are two distinct constructs and should be measured as such. Desistance includes gradual cognitive and affective transformation, whereas the lack of reoffending could be a function of several factors including the natural aging process, the lack of opportunity, or increases in social bonds. This research conducted a comparative case study analysis to highlight how desistance and the lack of reoffending differentiate within sexual offending. Our results demonstrate a desistance pathway in one case and a simple lack of reoffending in another. Our findings can be used to expand our theoretic understanding of desistance as more than a lack of reoffending.

Psychological and criminological factors associated with desistance from violence: A review of the literature

Abstract Ample evidence exists that offenders eventually terminate their criminal careers, and this holds true for violent offenders. The causal mechanisms responsible for triggering and maintaining this process remain unclear; meaning that desistance from violence is poorly understood. This comprehensive review of the literature revealed that research in this area is hampered by definitional, operational, and measurement inconsistencies. Several of the conceptual frameworks used to explain desistance from delinquency have not been specifically applied in relation to violence. However, it was found that criminological enquiry suggests that informal social control (e.g., stable relationship and employment) play a role in desistance from violence and that theoretical frameworks which examine both internal and external change seem to show promise as an aid to understanding the desistance process. Psychological research has tended to focus on the role of risk and protective factors in relation to desistance but this, particularly protective factors, is currently under-researched. More knowledge needs to be assembled about how: (1) the mechanics of protective factors mitigate risk of future violence, and (2) how they play a role in the maintenance of violent free behaviors. Findings from criminology and psychology need to be expanded and integrated to extend our understanding of desistance from violence.

Targeting prolific and other priority offenders and promoting pathways to desistance: Some reflections on the PPO programme using a theory of change framework

The Prolific and Other Priority Offender (PPO) programme was introduced in 2004 to target the most prolific and persistent offenders within Community Safety Partnership areas. Based on identifying offenders through local crime analysis, intensive supervision and targeted intervention, evaluations have shown promising results. By using a ‘theory of change’ approach as an analytical framework and a local PPO project as a case study, this article begins to question whether the rationale behind the PPO programme can be viewed as ‘plausible’, if key strands of implementation are ‘doable’ and if the desired outcomes are ‘testable’. The article argues that although the rationale for the PPO programme might be plausible, doubts are raised over its likely impact on local crime rates and the extent PPO projects might be able to target prolific offenders effectively. Finally, it suggests that although testable outcomes can be established, the extent to which the programme has enhanced our understanding of desistance is questionable.

Marriage and offending specialization: Expanding the impact of turning points and the process of desistance

Research consistently demonstrates that offending versatility declines over the life course, yet the underlying meaning of this empirical observation remains unclear. Empirical work has connected shifting routines and social networks with intra-individual changes in offending versatility, which are also primary mechanisms whereby turning points facilitate desistance from crime (that is, the decline in offending frequency over the life course). The current paper hypothesizes that the narrowing of offending variety over the life course is part of the desistance process and, therefore, should be facilitated by entry into marriage. Analyses using data from the Criminal Career and Life-Course Study, which follows Dutch offenders throughout most of their adult lives, provide support for the notion that marriage is related to within-individual declines in offending versatility, even when accounting for offending frequency. The discussion considers the impact of these results on the understanding of desistance from crime.