How are social bonds to a romantic partner related to criminal offending?

Abstract

This study uses a combination of Danish administrative register and survey data on a representative sample aged 18–64 ( N = 11,114) to investigate the importance of social bonds to a romantic partner. Results show that people with strong social bonds to their romantic partner offend significantly less than people with weak social bonds to their partner. The study finds no difference in offending between people with weak social bonds to their partner and people without a partner. Additionally, one result shows that strong social bonds matter less for the risk of offending if a person is aged over 30; however, this result is mainly suggestive.

Dealing with fatherhood: Paternal identities among men in the illegal drug economy

“…Rather, new fathers who also live with their children and who take an active role in parenting are more likely to desist than fathers who are more absent from the lives of their children. This finding is consistent with literature showing that close social bonds with romantic partners can act as a deterrent to offending (Nielsen, 2018). It appears that it is the adoption of traditional roles of fatherhood that leads men to desist rather than simply fathering a child (Mitchell et al, 2018).…”

“…The tendency to focus on mothers rather than on fathers reflects a broader social pattern: the links between socie ty's expectations of fatherhood and masculinity are significantly weaker and the cultural content ascribed to fatherhood remains less clear than it is for motherhood (Gillis, 2000). In this study, we show that crime and druginvolved fathers have limited access to new involved paternal identities, which may function to hinder the potential deterrent effect of fatherhood (Moloney et al, 2009;Nielsen, 2018). Our study offers a contribution to scholarship on marginalized fatherhood, and highlights the import of paternal identities for understanding the relationship between fatherhood and crime over the life course.…”

The gendered weight of desistance and understanding the ‘love of a good woman’: Desistance emotional work (DEW)

“…Whilst several factors have been identified as influential to desistance, the capacity for social relations to influence the process has received particular attention. A considerable proportion of the desistance literature identifies strong relationships and social bonds as paramount to successful reintegration and desistance (Nielsen, 2018; Nugent and Schinkel, 2016; Sampson and Laub, 1993; Weaver, 2014). Research has acknowledged the fundamental influence of intimate relationships on the desistance process.…”