Desistance in drug-using offenders: A narrative review

Abstract

The majority of available desistance research has examined desistance in the general offender population. However, applying the desistance approach to specific groups of offenders has potential to enrich our knowledge since their change processes show differences compared with those of the general offender population. Drug-using offenders is the group of offenders that has received most attention from desistance researchers. This article presents a narrative review of 15 studies that focus on desistance in this population. This review opted for a strict interpretation of ‘drug-using offenders’ in which two constitutive elements had to be present for inclusion, namely drug use and offending. Results indicate that only a limited amount of research applies the language of desistance to drug-using offenders. Also, it was apparent from the review that drug-using offenders are approached interchangeably with ‘desistance’ language and ‘recovery’ language. This review thus identifies gaps within the existing desistance literature, and it is expected that the further application of desistance language to drug-using offenders can build a better understanding of why and how drug-using offenders desist from drug use and offending. Further interdisciplinary research should be conducted on specific offender populations to improve understanding of the change process(es), which seems to be dual in nature but with a dynamic interplay between desistance and recovery.

Narratives of Gang Disengagement Among Former Gang Members in South Africa

“…For individuals who, like P3, have a history of both gang involvement and drug abuse, this is important. Although not directly explored in this study, one could speculate that if the participants had not been able to get help for their drug abuse, they may have been hindered in their ability to disengage from the gang life and to maintain this disengagement, given that drug use can be a risk to the disengagement process (Van Roeyen et al, 2016).…”

“…Given that a desisting gang member may be attempting to stop drug use while exiting the gang life (as was the case with the majority of the participants in this study), gang intervention services should also include a focus on substance abuse rehabilitation, particularly in light of the fact that recovery from drug abuse can have a positive impact on gang disengagement (Van Roeyen et al, 2016).…”

Estimating a treatment effect on recidivism for correctional multiple component treatment for people in prison with an alcohol use disorder in England

“…A focus on a single measurement (reoffending) is unlikely to give a full picture of a treatment effect. More quantitative work is required to situate changes in offending patterns post release with other clinical or recovery-orientated measures [ 53 ].…”

‘From disaster to master’: Exploring the journey beyond desistance in Ireland

“…I also have concerns that the relationship between addiction, recovery and desistance is seen in too linear a fashion in such situations, missing some of its complexity. As noted by Van Roeyen (2017: 548) in an examination of desistance among drug user offenders: Differences in the onset, development and motivations of drug (mis)use and crime, as well as differences in the nature of the relationship between drug (mis)use and crime, influence the desistance and recovery process and the elements leading towards desistance and recovery.…”