Understanding desistance processes can have important implications for offender rehabilitation by informing treatment practitioners of offender strengths for reintegration. Despite this potential utility for program development, desistance remains difficult to measure consistently across studies. The present study attempts to establish the utility of the Measure of Criminal and Antisocial Desistance (MCAD) by comparing and contrasting desistance scores between a group of probationers and a group of civilly committed sex offenders. The results suggest that the MCAD is a valid and reliable measure that is able to observe differences in multidimensional desistance constructs between groups. Furthermore, suppression effects of desistance strategies on offenders under civil commitment were observed. Future research should explore the use of the MCAD and measures like it in creating more effective treatment programs for offenders.

This paper draws on a literature review which questioned whether meditationinterventions in prison populations encourage desistance from crime. The purposeof this paper was to discover possible connections between criminologicaltheories of desistance and the research findings of meditation courses in prison. Abrief analysis of the evaluation findings on the presented meditation courses isimplemented. This paper concludes that meditation projects in prison populationsmay not reasonably address desistance; however, there is evidence that the effectsof such adjunct interventions can encourage prisoners to progress on the pathtoward desistance through mindfulness and other pro-social orientation.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:20:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nara Cristina Leao.pdf: 2454571 bytes, checksum: e594acb0a3c20ffb74f5f55e9eb5a256 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-15 / The involvement of adolescents in criminal activities is a problem that has mobilized the society and the issue has been debated in several areas. For this reason, science needs to get engaged in this issue and investigate it. This dissertation proposes to specifically investigate the process of desistance of antisocial behavior by adolescents in conflict with the law. For this, two surveys were conducted, organized and presented by means of two articles: one theoretical and one empirical. The first one is a systematic review of the literature, which analyzed critically what has been published in the scientific community on desistance from crime in adolescents over the last 10 years, in search tools and databases with national and international articles - Google Scholar, BVS, Scirus, ScienceDirect, Psycinfo. 19 articles were found, 8 national and 11 international, which focused primarily on two issues: life trajectories and models of intervention. In conclusion, they emphasized the environment as a highly relevant factor for the development and maintenance of antisocial behavior, and also the possibility of developing actions that assist in the process of desistance of criminal behavior. The second study, presented in the second article, is about two descriptive and exploratory researches, and it aims to investigate the psychological availability to the desistance of criminal behavior in adolescents under socio-educational measure. In the first one, a sample of 44 adolescents was used, through the Rorschach method (Comprehensive System). It was observed that 40% of the sample was available for the abandonment of criminal behavior, and the aspects of personality that most favored the willingness to change behavior were related to interest in what people say and do (SumH), as well as flexibility of thought in making decisions and adaptating to new situations (a: p). The least present aspects were related to the ability to establish psychologically intimate relationships with other people (SumT), and the ability of introspection (FD). In the second one, there was a content analysis of the interviews of two teenagers aiming to deepen on issues concerning desistance of crime. The two teenagers differed in availability to the discontinuance of criminal behavior, especially with respect to the suffering experienced by the current life situation. Anyway, it was concluded at the end of the two surveys that it is possible to develop performances with adolescents in conflict with the law aiming at desistance from crime, both individually and in broader levels, involving the youngsters, their family, and the community where they live, so that there might be an increase in the chances of desistance from crime and restructuring of life. / O envolvimento de adolescentes em crimes é um problema que tem mobilizado muito a sociedade e a questão tem sido debatida em diversos espaços. Frente a isso, percebe-se a necessidade de a ciência se ocupar desse tema e investigá-lo. Esta dissertação se propõe a investigar especificamente o processo de desistência da conduta infracional por adolescentes em conflito com a lei. Para isso, foram realizadas duas pesquisas, organizadas e apresentadas por meio de dois artigos: um teórico e outro empírico. O primeiro traz uma revisão sistemática de literatura, na qual se analisou, criticamente, o que vem sendo publicado no meio científico sobre a desistência do crime em adolescentes, nos últimos 10 anos, em ferramentas de busca e bases de dados com artigos nacionais e estrangeiros Google Acadêmico, BVS, Scirus, ScienceDirect, Psycinfo. Foram encontrados 19 artigos, sendo 8 nacionais e 11 internacionais, os quais focaram, basicamente, duas questões: trajetórias de vida e modelos de intervenção. Como conclusão, ressaltou-se o fator ambiente como altamente relevante para o desenvolvimento e manutenção do comportamento antissocial, e também a possibilidade de desenvolvimento de ações com esse público que o auxiliem no processo de abandono da conduta infracional. A segunda pesquisa, apresentada no segundo artigo, trata de dois estudos descritivos e exploratórios, que tem como objetivo investigar a disponibilidade psicológica para a desistência da conduta infracional em adolescentes em cumprimento de medida socioeducativa de internação. O primeiro deles utilizou-se de uma amostra de 44 adolescentes sob medida socioeducativa de internação, por meio do Método de Rorschach (Sistema Compreensivo). Observou-se que 40% da amostra estava disponível para o abandono da conduta infracional, e os aspectos da personalidade que mais favoreciam essa disponibilidade para mudança de conduta estavam relacionados ao interesse pelo que as pessoas falam e fazem (SumH), bem como a flexibilidade do pensamento na tomada de decisões e na adaptação a novas situações (a:p). Os aspectos menos presentes estavam relacionados à habilidade para estabelecer relacionamentos psicologicamente íntimos com outras pessoas (SumT) e à capacidade de introspecção (FD). No segundo, fez-se análise de conteúdo das entrevistas de dois adolescentes, visando aprofundar nas questões relativas à desistência do crime. Os dois adolescentes apresentaram diferenças quanto à disponibilidade para a desistência da conduta infracional, especialmente com relação ao sofrimento vivido pela atual situação de vida. Enfim, pôde-se concluir, ao final das duas pesquisas, que é possível desenvolver atuações com adolescentes em conflito com a lei visando a desistência do crime, tanto em nível individual quanto em níveis mais amplos, envolvendo o jovem, a sua família e a comunidade em que vivem, para que aumentem as chances de desistência do crime e reestruturação de vida.

This thesis explores the desistance promoting potential of professional relationships between male youth workers and young men involved in violence. It adopts a psychosocial methodological and analytic frame to examine a common-sense proposition: that male workers who are colloquially described as 'down with the kids' are especially well suited to engage and mentor young men involved in violence. Five intensely observed longitudinal case studies follow the trajectories of young men and their youth workers over six years. Each case utilises different conceptual tools to offer different insights into their relationships, including: the presence of gendered, generational and unconscious dynamics between young men and male workers; how reciprocal identification can lead to male youth workers not seeing how young men neutralise their violent offending; worker reflexivity as a pre-requisite of the youth work role in late modernity and how this can be fractured by the biographical experiences of too-wounded healers; the importance of male workers with resources of street-social and masculine capital creating a third space where they and young men can examine their own intersectional identities, and; how worker self-disclosure can shift doer done-to dynamics within professional relationships and organisations. The thesis concludes that the male worker as mentor and role model discourse generates both assets and potential shortcomings in terms of desistance promotion. Embodying a 'down with the kids' worker subjectivity can provide a ready route into youthful, masculine subcultures and a means for male workers to meet their own need for generativity. But without proper training and supervision there is a risk that workers with their own history of offending can be ineffective at best, and at worst descend into professional burn-out. In this sense being down with the kids can lead inadvertently to workers going down with the kids. Reconceptualising youth work relationships incorporating psychodynamic and post structural perspectives (i.e. as psychosocial) offers a way to work through these issues productively and can usefully inform youth work practice and policy.

This thesis uses empirical data to explore criminal justice social workers’ experience of ‘ethical stress,’ which is the discomfort experienced by workers when they cannot achieve value/behaviour congruence in their practice. The research was operationalised via questionnaires distributed to criminal justice social workers in four Scottish local authorities, from which both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered. From the data, it appears that the more risk averse a workplace is perceived to be, and the less value-based the ethical climate is judged to be, the more ethical stress will be experienced. The approach to working with offenders, however, seems not to have a direct effect on ethical stress experienced. Rather, workers are very clear that public protection/risk work takes priority and this only becomes a source of stress when the ethical climate is such that any additional welfare, helping work the social worker is inclined to undertake, is thwarted. A worker’s experience of ethical stress may depend upon where they work, as levels vary significantly between local authorities, as do perceptions of ethical climate. Approaches taken to risk and to working with offenders, however, do not vary between local authorities, probably because of the strength of influence from government. A model of ethical stress in criminal justice social work (CJSW) is ultimately suggested, highlighting the connections and influences above, and depicting the important role of the senior social worker. Finally, significant differences on all variables were found between older, more experienced workers and younger, less experienced workers who appear to be happier with a ‘new penological’ approach to the management of (as opposed to engagement with) offenders. Less experienced workers seem to accept, more uncritically, the prioritisation of public protection and reduced autonomy and, although they do experience ethical stress when value based practice is impeded and risk aversion prevails, it is experienced to a significantly lesser degree. The culmination of these differences may well cast doubt upon CJSW’s continuing commitment to social work values.

In this thesis I have investigated the process of self-schematic transformation that has been argued that offenders undergo in order to desist from crime. In this thesis I have used narrative interviews with twelve desisting offenders consisting of five non-violent offenders and seven violent offenders. I have analysed these narratives using a social cognitive perspective in order to seek an understanding of the self-schemas of the offenders. The results show that the desistance is the result of a longer process and the turning point experienced by the participants were the high point of this process. Social influences were highly important for both groups. Both groups were low in agency, with the exception to their new selves and the desisting process; still, the violent offenders were somewhat higher than the non-violent offenders. In general both groups used outside sources to explain their past crimes and substance abuse, though the violent offenders did this in less extent. Further, the analysis showed that the self-schema of the desisting offenders could be divided into three parts; the former self, the true self, and the new self, or who they used to be, who they have always been, and who they are now. The degree to which the offenders expressed these different selves varied between the two groups.

The goal of this study was to gather information from Aboriginal offenders and develop a categorical map that describes the factors that help and hinder maintaining a crime free life after incarceration. The critical incident technique was utilized to examine 42 Aboriginal offenders’ journeys from prison to the community. Three hundred and forty-one incidents collapsed into nine major categories representing themes that were helpful in maintaining a crime free life: 1) transformation of self; 2) cultural and traditional experiences; 3) healthy relationships; 4) having routine and structure in daily living; 5) freedom from prison; 6) purpose and fulfillment in life; 7) attempting to live alcohol and drug free; 8) professional support and programming; and 9) learning to identify and express oneself. Seventy-eight incidents formed four categories representing obstacles that interfere with maintaining a crime free life: 1) self; 2) unhealthy relationships; 3) substance use; and 4) lack of opportunity and professional support. The findings were compared and contrasted to two major theories in the literature: desistance and the risk-needs-responsivity principle. Most of the categories were well substantiated in the literature contributing knowledge to theory, policy, practice, and the community. Information obtained from this study provides an increased understanding of the needs of Aboriginal offenders and offers guidance concerning useful strategies to incorporate into their wellness plans when entering the community, most notably respecting Aboriginal culture and traditional practices. The findings also add awareness of those circumstances, issues, and problems that arise during transition that may be harmful or create obstacles to a successful transition.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att studera den subjektiva upplevelsen av upphörandeprocessen från kriminalitet hos unga vuxna som vid upprepade tillfällen begått brott under sin barndom och ungdomstid. Frågeställningarna berör både yttre och inre faktorer som påverkat upphörandet samt faktorer som upprätthåller en ickekriminell livsstil. I studien ingick åtta personer, sex män och två kvinnor, som upphört med kriminalitet före 25 års ålder. Hur länge sedan det var personerna slutade begå brott varierade mellan några veckor och åtta år. Studiens genomförande var kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer varav fem utfördes vid personliga möten och tre över telefon. I analysen tillämpades teorin om sociala band, vändpunkter och ett perspektiv på upphörandet som en process. I det empiriska materialet framkommer att upphörandet inledningsvis påverkades av ett samspel mellan specifika händelser som fungerade som vändpunkter, hjälp från andra personer samt egen motivation och mognad. Informanterna betonar egen motivation mest, vilket överensstämmer med tidigare studier av ungdomar i synnerhet. Därutöver identifierades en andra fas av upprätthållande där informanterna aktivt arbetade för att avhålla sig från brott. I denna fas började de omförhandla sin identitet från kriminell mot ickekriminell. Många hade dock kvar tankar på att begå brott och upplevde sig vara ”laglydiga kriminella” snarare än ickekriminella. Detta fenomen har vi inte hittat i tidigare forskning på området. Nedanstående faktorer i ett samspel identifierades av informanterna som nödvändiga för att kunna sluta begå brott, vilket bortsett från den sista punkten överensstämmer väl med tidigare forskning på området. Yttre faktorer: Upphöra med missbruk. Bryta kontakten med andra personer i aktivt missbruk och kriminalitet. Stöd från andra personer eller professionella. Gemenskap och anknytning till andra. Sysselsättning. Inre faktorer: Motivation och egen vilja. Mognad och ökad ålder. Förmåga att hantera tankar på brott. Sökord: upphöra, kriminalitet, brott, ungdom, återfall / The purpose of this paper is to study the subjective experiences of the desistance process from crime in young adults who repeatedly committed crimes during childhood and adolescence. The questions address both external and internal factors that influenced desistance from crime and factors that maintain a non-criminal lifestyle. The study included eight people, six men and two women who desisted from crime before the age of 25. The time since they desisted ranged from a few weeks up to eight years. The study was performed using qualitative semi-structured interviews, five by personal meetings and three by telephone. In the analysis the theories of social bonds, turning points and a perspective on desistance as a process was applied. The findings of this study were that desistance initially was influenced by a combination of specific events that served as turning points, support from other people as well as motivation and maturity. The informants emphasized their own motivation the most, which is consistent with previous studies of adolescents and young adults in particular. In addition, a second phase of maintenance were identified where the informants had to make efforts to refrain from crime. In this phase they started to renegotiate their identity from criminal towards non-criminal. However, many still had thoughts of committing crime and perceived themselves to be "law-abiding criminals" rather than non-criminals. This is something we have not found in previous research. These factors were identified by the informants as necessary to desist from crime, which apart from the last point is consistent with previous research in this area. External factors: • Desistance from substance abuse. • Breaking contact with people with active addiction and criminal behavior. • Support from other people or professionals. • Sense of community and attachment to others. • Occupation. Internal factors: • Motivation and determination. • Maturity and increasing age. • Ability to deal with thoughts of crime. Keywords: desistance, crime, criminality, youth, relapse

The goal of this study was to gather information from Aboriginal offenders and develop a categorical map that describes the factors that help and hinder maintaining a crime free life after incarceration. The critical incident technique was utilized to examine 42 Aboriginal offenders’ journeys from prison to the community. Three hundred and forty-one incidents collapsed into nine major categories representing themes that were helpful in maintaining a crime free life: 1) transformation of self; 2) cultural and traditional experiences; 3) healthy relationships; 4) having routine and structure in daily living; 5) freedom from prison; 6) purpose and fulfillment in life; 7) attempting to live alcohol and drug free; 8) professional support and programming; and 9) learning to identify and express oneself. Seventy-eight incidents formed four categories representing obstacles that interfere with maintaining a crime free life: 1) self; 2) unhealthy relationships; 3) substance use; and 4) lack of opportunity and professional support. The findings were compared and contrasted to two major theories in the literature: desistance and the risk-needs-responsivity principle. Most of the categories were well substantiated in the literature contributing knowledge to theory, policy, practice, and the community. Information obtained from this study provides an increased understanding of the needs of Aboriginal offenders and offers guidance concerning useful strategies to incorporate into their wellness plans when entering the community, most notably respecting Aboriginal culture and traditional practices. The findings also add awareness of those circumstances, issues, and problems that arise during transition that may be harmful or create obstacles to a successful transition.