The pains of desistance

Abstract

Desistance is generally presented in a positive light, with themes of 'making good' and generativity recurring in the literature. This article reports on two qualitative studies exploring the desistance journeys of two different groups of ex-offenders, drawing attention to the pains of this process. It examines the possible consequences of these 'pains of desistance' and how they are linked to three spheres of desistance: act-desistance; identity desistance; and relational desistance. The attempt to achieve act-desistance often led to the pain of isolation for our interviewees, while the clash between the need to achieve identity desistance and a lack of relational desistance (especially on the meso-and macro-levels) meant that they suffered the pain of goal failure. The pains of isolation and goal failure combined to lead to the further pain of hopelessness. Those interviewed were indeed 'going straight', but taking this path led many to a limited and often diminished life.

Dilemmas in applying strengths-based approaches in working with offenders with mental illness: A critical multidisciplinary review

“…Broekaert et al (2004) refer to this as the continuous interaction between parts and totality. This is further exemplified in the fact that recovery/desistance is really grounded in daily life and all aspects that constitute this, i.e., personal, contextual and societal strengths and challenges (Nugent & Schinkel, 2016). This was already acknowledged in 1977 by the Dutch pedagogue Ter Horst, who wrote a well-known book on recovery (the book was entitled "Recovery/restoration of the daily/ordinary life" -translation by the authors).…”

“…In this respect, the recent article by Nugent and Schinkel (2016) is a very interesting contribution to the desistance literature. They distinguish between 'act-desistance', described as not committing offences, 'identity desistance', described as the creation of a new non-offending identity and 'relational desistance' described as the recognition of change by society.…”

Experiencing penal supervision: A literature review

“…Most supervisees have also tended to view supervision as having a positive impact on their rehabilitation, and were better able to identify ways of avoiding offending in future (Rex, 1999: 369). Finally, a supportive relationship with one's penal supervisor tended to mitigate some of the 'pains of desistance' highlighted by Nugent and Schinkel (2016), especially where penal subjects failed to achieve desired changes to their living conditions, and where they felt isolated, stigmatised, and hopeless (although family members and other non-penal forms of support could also provide this help: ibid: 572-579; Rex, 1999: 380). So penal supervision mitigated some of the pains involved in the process of desisting from crime, as well as providing encouragement and support to keep at it -where the relationship was positive, the subject was motivated, and external social conditions were not overwhelmingly opposed to desistance.…”

“…Engaging 8 with these challenges tended to be demanding, but with the supervisor's help, penal subjects consistently reported an improvement in their position (Mair and Mills, 2009; see also McCulloch, 2005). The development of skills and attitudes was particularly important in the context of community-based penal subjects, who were facing the consequences of societal, communal, and economic responses to their conviction even as they were punished (Barry, 2013;Hayes, 2015: 94-96;Nugent and Schinkel, 2016).…”

“…Even positive long-term outcomes can be difficult in the short-term (Nugent and Schinkel, 2016), and sometimes it is exactly the painfulness of an experience that motivates us to change for the better (Christie, 1982: 10-11). The point is not that probation officers can either cause pain or do good, but rather that, in striving to do good, probation officers routinely cause a substantial amount of pain, too -whether or not they succeed in doing good.…”