Towards Desistance: Theoretical Underpinnings for an Empirical Study

Abstract

This article presents the initial theoretical underpinnings for a fresh prospective study of desistance, focused on 20-year-old recidivists. It is argued that significant crimefree gaps appropriately form part of the subject matter of desistance. An interactive theoretical framework is presented, involving 'programmed potential', 'social context' (structures, culture, situations) and 'agency'. It is argued that agency, while rightly attracting increasing interest within criminology, needs to be used with greater precision.

Desistance from sexual offending: Do the mainstream theories apply?

“…According to this increasingly popular framework, the rehabilitation process involves at some level the need to develop a new story for oneself that can explain one's past and give a convincing account of why the person is no longer like that anymore (Maruna, 2001). Most observers accept that these explanatory factors are complementary and inter-related, with desistance potentially requiring changes in both social/structural and subjective domains (Bottoms et al, 2004;LeBel et al, 2008).…”

“…This body of research suggests that the risk of re-offending reduces over time and declines with age and that sexual recidivism rates are lowered when treatment and tailored social supports are available (Scoones et al, 2012). Although the age-crime curve peaks and tails off less dramatically for sex offending than it does for non-sexual forms of crime (see Glueck & Glueck, 1937;Sampson and Laub, 2003;Bottoms et al, 2004), sex offending also appears to decrease with age (Lussier et al, 2010). In short, research has undermined the popular perception that risk levels associated with sex offending are "high, stable and linear" (Lussier et al, 2010: 147) by demonstrating that recidivism rates for these types of crime are generally low in comparison to other classes of offending (Harris and Hanson, 2004;Barnett et al, 2010).…”

Conducting Prison Research in a Foreign Setting

“…A prevalent theme in the narratives of prisoners related to the idea that preparation for release should begin from the point of entry into the system, regardless of the length of the sentence. The IRB's argument was also inconsistent with a large body of research in criminology which has argued that desistance is best perceived as a gradual process rather than an event that occurs abruptly (Bottoms et al 2004;Kazemian 2007;Maruna 2001). In short, the research ethics committee's comments suggested that we should overlook the needs of individuals serving life or otherwise long sentences, a view with which I strongly disagreed.…”

Exploring the transferability and applicability of gang evaluation methodologies to counter-violent radicalisation

“…Criminology has developed a rich body of research related to desistance, built on life-course theory, which may have direct relevance for counter-radicalisation (Bottoms et al, 2004;Decker et al, 2014;LaFree and Miller, 2008;McNeill, 2012;Shapland and Bottoms, 2011).…”