This paper starts where previous research in this scientific field, research about individuals who managed to end their criminal lifestyle, ends – by talking in terms of Pierre Bourdieu’s forms of capital. In former studies the researchers pointed out access to a job and parenting as helpful factors to end a criminal lifestyle. Our purpose with this paper, however, was to find out if it is possible to understand criminals successfully ending their criminal lifestyle from Bourdieu’s capital metaphors and Mark Granovetter’s concept of strong and weak ties. The empirical data consists of interviews with a life story perspective by eight members of an organization called KRIS (Criminals Return Into Society). All the interviewees included in this study have managed to end their respective criminal lifestyle. The results indicate that our interviewees had help in their ending of the criminal lifestyle by access to or by establishing social capital. The social capital in the interviewees’ cases were constituted by on one hand strong ties, on the other hand weak ties. In a couple of cases both types of ties were involved. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the social capital itself cannot make an ending of the criminal lifestyle possible. The following factors in the individual’s life has to be fulfilled in order to end his or hers criminal lifestyle: (1) exhort a strong motive inside him-/herself, (2) accept no drug use of any kind and (3) carry through a switch of field from the criminal society to the conventional.

When an individual decides to end a criminal lifestyle, it becomes crucial to understand how both society and the surrounding view the individual. The labeling that previously existed can still be used against the defector and reduce the opportunities in society that can be offered. This also becomes an obstacle for the individual to make a role exit and delays the change process. However, the surroundings and new interests become a motivation for not making a relapse.The purpose of the research is to study the process of change that young adult men make when they leave the criminality and the adversities they encounter during their lifetime. A qualitative method was applied to study the topic where seven participants were interviewed and shared their life stories. With a phenomenological starting point, the social reality that defectors make when they leave organized crime is accounted for. Furthermore, the research is based on eleven previous researches that have been done in Sweden, South Africa and the USA, which describe important aspects. The theoretical framework consists of Ebaughs role exit theory and Goldberg's labeling theory. The previous research shows a connection and understanding that exists among the responses of defectors, and the theories reinforce what is emphasized in the analysis. There is a central reason why the defectors chose to break off the relationship with the gang, which is described as maturity, among other things. Even prosocial relationships become the reason for the decision of defectors to leave criminality. This will also be crucial for the participants' life chances to be able to reintegrate into society.

Abstract Title: Last Exit? A Study of Prison Sentenced Recidivists’ Subsequently Choice to Make Use of Criminals Return Into Society (KRIS) as a Resource in Order to Terminate the Criminal Lifestyle  Author: Jimmy Karlsson  A point of departure for this essay is my and my co-author’s bachelor thesis The Refuse to Walk More Yards Prison Corridor.   The purpose of the present essay is to illuminate in which conditions the organization KRIS (Criminals Return Into Society) develops from being directly or indirectly realizable to being a realized resource for recidivists who have served several prison sentences. The theoretical basis is Caroline Tovatt’s concepts potential, realizable and realized resources combined with Pierre Bourdieu’s capital metaphors and Mark S. Granovetter’s concept of strong and weak ties. To illustrate the process that led the interviewees (which I have interviewed from a life story perspective) to the realization of KRIS as a resource and ultimately the ending of the criminal lifestyle, I have used Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaughs stage theory of the role exit process.   The results indicate that recidivists’ choice to realize the resource KRIS has been occasioned by a specific composition of necessary components and a social capital. The necessary components are represented by negative life experiences which via a transformation in three stages have resulted in making KRIS available as a resource for the interviewees. The social capital in turn, which has to interact with the necessary components, is represented by weak and negative ties subsequently remodeled into positive ones. These ties have paved the way for the interviewees to access the organization. To finally fulfill the role exit process the interviewees have to possess or acquire an embodied cultural capital which allows them to differentiate and maintain all aspects linked to the previous and the current role, both to themselves and also to other individuals.

Studiens syfte var att studera sociala insatsgruppers avhopparverksamhet i Stockholm utifrån de yrkesverksammas perspektiv för att undersöka hur de upplever att stödet möter deltagarnas behov samt vilka faktorer de anser vara avgörande för att hjälpa deltagarna. I studien användes kvalitativ forskningsmetod, där empirin insamlats genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra yrkesverksamma inom SIG. Intervjumaterialet har med hjälp av tematisk analys tematiserats och analyserats utifrån tidigare forskning och teorin om sociala band. Studiens resultat visade att stöd, boende/en stabil bas, jobb/sysselsättning, mognad samt motivation var de mest betydelsefulla faktorer för avhopparprocessen, enligt de yrkesverksamma. Studiens resultat visade även att SIG kunde möta deltagarnas behov relativt bra men att särskilda behov var svåra att tillgodose. Studiens huvudsakliga slutsats är att avgörande faktorer varierar utifrån deltagarens behov, men att det finns några återkommande varav några kan förklaras av teorin om sociala band samt att SIG till stor del kan möta dessa behov. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the defector program within sociala insatsgrupper in Stockholm from the perspective of the employees to find out how they perceive that the support meets the needs of the participants and which factors they find crucial to help the participants. A qualitative method was used, where the material was gathered through semi-structured interviews with four employees within SIG. The interview material was analyzed and thematized through a thematic analysis and was then compared with previous research and social bond theory. The result showed that support, accommodation, employment/studies/extracurricular activities, maturity and motivation were the most important desistance factors, according to the employees. The results also showed that SIG can meet the needs of the participants relatively well, but that some were difficult to meet. The main conclusions of this study are that crucial factors depend on the needs of the participants but there are some recurring ones, some of which can be explained by social bond theory and SIG can largely meet these needs.

<p>The aim of this study was to examine how individuals who have left a criminal lifestyle may experience their present life. A symbolic interaction approach was the theoretical framework for this research. Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven individuals who have stated having had and left a criminal lifestyle. The results showed that how individuals experience their present life is highly dependent on individuals’ own view of themselves as well as on how others view them. A sense of being judged on the basis of previous lifestyle and a strive to leave the criminal identity could be discerned. There seems to be of importance for individuals to separate themselves from their prior lifestyle, both in thought and action. By doing this, they demonstrate their change both to themselves and their surroundings. By con-demning their previous destructive actions but not themselves as persons, they can maintain a positive self-image. Making good and giving back to society also tends to be of importance. Furthermore the study indicates that individuals, in addition to a sense of belonging, need to experience both resemblance and contrast in interaction in order to fully be able to leave the criminal identity. Some implications for social work practise were discussed.</p>

The aim of this study was to examine how individuals who have left a criminal lifestyle may experience their present life. A symbolic interaction approach was the theoretical framework for this research. Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven individuals who have stated having had and left a criminal lifestyle. The results showed that how individuals experience their present life is highly dependent on individuals’ own view of themselves as well as on how others view them. A sense of being judged on the basis of previous lifestyle and a strive to leave the criminal identity could be discerned. There seems to be of importance for individuals to separate themselves from their prior lifestyle, both in thought and action. By doing this, they demonstrate their change both to themselves and their surroundings. By con-demning their previous destructive actions but not themselves as persons, they can maintain a positive self-image. Making good and giving back to society also tends to be of importance. Furthermore the study indicates that individuals, in addition to a sense of belonging, need to experience both resemblance and contrast in interaction in order to fully be able to leave the criminal identity. Some implications for social work practise were discussed.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka som är de avgörande faktorerna till att individen lämnar den kriminella livsstilen samt upprätthåller den prosociala livsstilen. Studien har använt en kvalitativ metod i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer. För att besvara studiens syfte har fem respondenter inkluderats från föreningen KRIS-Kriminellas Revansch I Samhället i Malmö. Alla fem respondenter har suttit i fängelset och haft en tidigare kriminell livsstil. Resultatet påvisade att fyra faktorer var avgörande för att lämna den kriminella livsstilen: avslutande av missbruk, familj, påföljd och hälsa. Där missbruksproblematiken hade en stark koppling till deras kriminalitet. Gällande den prosociala livsstilen menade respondenterna att relationer, förändrat konsekvenstänk, sysselsättning och avslutande av missbruk var drivkraften till upprätthållandet. Avslutningsvis menade respondenterna att det oftast inte finns endast en specifik faktor till avslutandet eller upprätthållandet, utan viljan att förändra sin livsstil måste finnas där. / This study aims to investigate what the crucial factors for an individual leaving the criminal lifestyle and maintaining the prosocial lifestyle are. The study has used a qualitative method in the form of semi-structured interviews. To respond to the purpose of the study, five respondents have been included from the association KRIS-Kriminellas Revansch I Samhället in Malmö. All five respondents have been in prison and had a previous criminal lifestyle. The results showed that there were four crucial factors to leaving the criminal lifestyle: the termination of addiction, family, penalty and health. Where the problem of abuse had a strong connection to their crime. Regarding the prosocial lifestyle respondents argued that relationships, mindfulness of consequences, employment and termination of addiction were the driving force for maintaining a prosocial lifestyle. In conclusion the respondents expressed that there is often not only a specific factor that dictates if one is able to maintain nor end criminal behavior, but instead the will to change lifestyle is what must be prominent.

The purpose of this study is to investigate which factors have been important for young men from the Järva-area to not develop a criminal lifestyle. The study also examines what it means for the interviewees to live in the Järva-area. This is to find out if the Järva-area has limited the interviewees or given them skills. This is because the Järva-area has been classified in media as a problem area. Which means that the people of Järva are stigmatized and stamped. The study is qualitatively designed, and the empirical material is collected from six interviews. All participants are young men aged 20–35 who grew up in different areas around the Järva field. The results of the collected empirical evidence suggest that family and friendships are the most important factors for the young men to not end up choosing a criminal lifestyle. The place Järva has meant an incredible sense of community for all participants in the explicit exclusion of society. The participants experience the most stigmatization and stamping when they are in surroundings outside of the Järva community. Growing up in Järva does not mean that all young men become criminals. / Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilka faktorer som varit av betydelse för att unga vuxna män från Järvaområdet inte ska utveckla en kriminell livsstil. Studien undersöker även vad det innebär för intervjupersonerna att bo i Järvafältet och hur bostadsområdet begränsar och möjliggör olika förutsättningar. Eftersom Järvaområdet inom den mediala sfären klassats som ett problemområde, har detta lett till att Järvaborna stämplats och stigmatiserats av. Studien är kvalitativt utformad och det empiriska materialet är insamlad med hjälp av fem intervjuer. Samtliga intervjupersoner är unga vuxna män i åldrarna 20–35 som växt upp i olika områden i Järvafältet. Resultatet av den insamlade empirin tyder på att familj och vänskapsrelationer är de mest betydelsefulla faktorerna för att de unga vuxna männen inte hamnat i kriminella livsbanor. Platsen Järva har för intervjupersonerna inneburit en gemenskap i det upplevda utanförskapet. Stigmatisering och stämplingen har upplevts som starkast när intervjupersonerna befunnit sig utanför Järvaområdet. Att växa upp i Järvafältet innebär inte att alla unga vuxna män blir kriminella.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilka faktorer som bidragit till att kvinnor avslutat den kriminella livsstilen samt hur kvinnor beskriver sin identitet efter att de tagit sig ur den kriminella livsstilen. Studien har använt ett kvalitativt förhållningssätt med semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Studien bestod av sex kvinnliga informanter från KRIS-Kriminellas Revansch I Samhället, för att besvara studiens syfte. Alla informanter har haft en kriminell livsstil men nu avslutat denna. Till denna studie har en tematisk analysmetod tillämpats, där bearbetning av materialet gjordes utifrån sex olika steg.  Resultatet visade sex olika faktorer som var avgörande för att kvinnorna i studien valde att avsluta den kriminella livsstilen: Ingen gråzon, Insikt i den kriminella livsstilen, Att vara förälder, Kopplingar till samhället och andra, Partnerrelationer och Påföljder.  Studien visade att det var en process för informanterna att avsluta den kriminella livsstilen, processen började med att informanterna själva tog ett beslut om att sluta begå brott och missbruka. De flesta kvinnorna kunde exempelvis känna att fängelsestraff var en bidragande faktor för processen till en avslutad kriminalitet, men inte som ett avgörande avslut. Kvinnorna i studien beskrev sin identitet genom egna uppfattningar om sig själva såväl som hur de uppfattat att andra ser på dem. Resultatet var att alla kvinnor i studien förbättrat sin självbild efter att de avslutat sin kriminella livsstil. Två kvinnor pratade dock om att de ibland kände osäkerhet. Avslutningsvis hävdade alla informanter att det måste finnas en inre motivation och vilja för att lyckas avsluta den kriminella livsstilen. / The purpose of the study is to examine which factors that have contributed to women ending the criminal lifestyle and how women of this study describe their identity, after they have left the criminal lifestyle. The study has used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. The study consisted of six female informants from KRIS-Kriminella's Revansch I Samhället, to answer the purpose of the study. All the informants have had a criminal lifestyle but have now ended it.  For this study, a thematic analysis method has been applied, where the processing of the data material was made through six different steps. The results showed six different factors that were decisive for the women in the study to choose to end the criminal lifestyle: ‘’No gray area’’, Insight into the criminal lifestyle, Being a parent, Connections to society and others, Partner relationships and Sanctions. The study showed that it was a process for the informants to end the criminal lifestyle, the process began with the informants themselves making a decision to stop committing crimes and abusing. For instance, most women in the study felt that imprisonment was a contributing factor to the process of ending a crime, but not as a decisive ending.The women in the study described their identity through their own perceptions of themselves as well as how they perceived others to look at them.  The result was that all women in the study improved their self-esteem after ending their criminal lifestyle. However, two women said that they sometimes felt insecure. In the conclusion, all the informants claimed that there must be an inner motivation and will to succeed in ending the criminal lifestyle.

Syftet med studien är att belysa hur tidigare kriminella har gått tillväga för att ta sig vidare från kriminalitet. En kvalitativ metod har tillämpats för att studera detta och sex före detta kriminella har intervjuats genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Stämplingsteorin och sociala kontrollteori är teorierna som använts för att analysera och förstå empirin. Tidigare forskning avsnittet är indelat i tre delar och avhandlar riskfaktorer, processen ut ur kriminalitet samt konsekvenserna som medföljer vid avhopp. Det som konstaterats efter intervjuerna är att den vanligaste anledningen till avhopp är föräldraskap och mognad. Resultatet visar även på att ekonomi var ett hinder i processen ut ur kriminalitet. Pengar var en central prioritet i intervjupersonernas tidigare kriminella livsstil och att överge den snabba inkomsten för att anpassa sig till ett konventionellt ekonomiskt system uppgavs vara en utmaning. / The purpose of the study is to shed light on how former criminals have gone about moving on from crime. To study this a qualitative method has been applied, six ex-criminals have been interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The labeling and social control theory are theories that have been used to analyze and understand empirical data. The Previous research section is divided into three parts and discusses risk factors, the process of transitioning out of crime, and the consequences that come with leaving criminal activity. The result shows that the most common reason for leaving criminal activities is due to parenthood and maturity. Respondents also stated that finance was an obstacle in the process our of criminality. Money was a central priority in the respondents' previous criminal lifestyle, and abandoning the fast income to adapt to a conventional economic system was reported as a challenge.