Mentoring has become increasingly popular in recent years in the criminal justice system, and has been recommended by the Scottish Government as a service that can address the specific ‘needs’ of women who offend. Despite the popularity of mentoring, there has been limited evidence to suggest that it reduces reoffending of women, or facilitates significant changes in their lives. In addition, there has been a lack of clarity around the definition of mentoring, including role definition, the extent of intensive support offered and the key aims of the service. This thesis (in collaboration with Sacro and the University of Stirling), explores the experiences of women who have accessed the Sacro Women’s Mentoring Service and accounts from mentors and staff to establish what the key aims and processes of mentoring are, alongside a critique of whether this offers an approach that can address key issues related to the marginalisation of these women. Findings from the data revealed that mentoring consisted of practical support, helping women to respond to difficulties related to poverty and their disadvantaged circumstances generally. The most common outcomes for women were: engagement with agencies; increases in confidence and self-esteem and improvements in emotional well-being. The rhetoric of mentoring offered by mentors and staff suggested that mentoring was based on an individualistic approach that contained responsibilising strategies, aimed at helping women to make improved choices and become responsible citizens. In practice, however, mentors were helping women to resolve issues related to the welfare system and other services outwith the criminal justice system. Many mentors and staff viewed mentoring as role modelling, however, women who accessed the service were more likely to view their mentor as a friend and ‘someone to talk to’ suggesting that the relationship was not an opportunity for women to model the behaviours of their mentor, but as emotional support and a release from their social isolation. This disconnect was also reflected in ‘imaginary penalities’ which were observed, such as staff completing paperwork they did not view as relevant to the service they delivered or staff being sent on training that they could not apply to the work they delivered on a day to day basis. This may be a result of the increasing marketisation of mentoring within the criminal justice system. Those services labelled as ‘mentoring’ may be more likely to gain funding as it is a service that is currently favoured by statutory funders in Scotland. If positive outcomes of mentoring are viewed by policy makers to be the result of an individualistic approach, and not mentors addressing problems outwith the criminal justice system, as best as they can, then this takes responsibility away from the state to make changes to policy. It also places unrealistic expectations on mentors to make significant changes to the lives of women in an environment of continuing funding cuts to welfare and services.

Much research related to incarceration and re-entry has been focused on male models, and thus ignoring the unique circumstances of women offenders. Previous research argues that evident differences are found between the two sexes and these should not be neglected. Furthermore, both previous research and the theory of cognitive transformation has been utilized to analyse the results in a theoretical framework. The aim with this thesis is to explore the difficulties women face when re-entering into society after a criminal lifestyle. Hence, understand how women encounter and tackle these problems. Qualitative semistructured interviews with six former female addicts and offenders and one operations manager were tape-recorded. Transcription data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed that it was difficult to re-establish a healthy relationship with children. All the women came from dysfunctional families and no support from family members was a challenging aspect in the re-entry process. Substance abuse was also found among all the women, which showed that it competed with both parental and employment responsibilities and finding a job was easier than holding down one. Furthermore, ending contact with antisocial peers was important, however, meeting new people was difficult. Lastly, the results showed that all the women had subjective motivation keeping them on the path of lasting change. This study concludes three ways to improve female re-entry processes, (1) greater aid to women with substance abuse, (2) continued therapeutic assistance post treatment and, (3) positive role-modelled guidance for young women.

Syftet med denna litteraturöversikt är att sammanställa och granska tidigare forskning, gällande vilka olika vändpunkter som resulterar i att kriminella kvinnor väljer att sluta begå brott (desistance). Laub & Sampson talar om hur äktenskap, anställning, fängelse eller tjänstgöring inom militären är vanliga faktorer som benämns påverka individer på olika sätt. Dessa faktorer påverkar individer olika mycket, vilket kan leda till att individen väljer att avsluta sin kriminella karriär. Men det finns även vändpunkter som kan påverka en individs livsbana, bland personer som inte är kriminella genom att olika faktorer påverkar livet på olika sätt och leder till att nya livsbanor bildas under livets gång. Andra faktorer som har en påverkan på individers vändpunkter, är mognadsprocesser. Det innebär att individer vid olika åldrar kommer att ta olika val i sina liv, vilket också påverkar individers livsbanor på olika sätt. Resultatet som har framkommit i litteraturöversikten är att det som påverkar kvinnors olika vändpunkter i livet är de sociala faktorerna, till exempel socialt stöd eller socialt nätverk, fängelse, vilka identiteter kvinnorna identifierar sig med, barn, ålder samt vilket bostadsområde kvinnorna bor i. Slutsatserna vi kan dra utav vår litteraturöversikt, är att de faktorer som har störst påverkan på kvinnors desistance, är vilken identitet kvinnorna identifierar sig med, deras barn och moderskap. Dessa tre faktorer var även viktiga hos kvinnor som inte hade några kriminella karriärer. / The purpose of this literature review is to investigate which different turning points that have criminal women finalizing their criminal careers as a result, either consciously or subconsciously. Laob and Samson are talking about marriage, employment, prison or military duty affecting individuals in different ways. Depending on which of these factors that is the most influential for the individual, the individual can choose to make the decision to take desistance from their criminal career. But there are also general turning points that are influencing an individual’s life path. This means that there are individuals that do not have a criminal career that are influenced by different factors in their lives and the results are that new life paths are created. Other factors that have an impact on individuals different turning points are maturation processes which is a thing that Rocque talks about. This means that individuals are going to make different choices at different ages that is going to have an impact on their life paths. The result we got from our literature review is that it is social factors that influence womens different turning points in life, for example social support, social network, prison, identity/modern identity, children, age and housing area. The conclusion of our studies is that the most important factor on womens desistance from criminal careers is identity, children and motherhood. But identity, children and motherhood is also three big factors for women without a criminal past.

The purpose of this study has been to describe the process that women go through before they choose to end their criminal careers in order to hightlight main factors that play an important role for women´s destistance. The study also intends to investigate what causes the woman to maintain the abandonment and not fall back into crime. In order to answer the study's purpose, semistructured interviews with nine former criminal woman have been carried out. The paper starts with some earlier research in the field of women´s criminality. After that we show our results and analyze them by applying Ebuaghs (1988) Role exit theory and with help from Hirschis (2002) theory about social bonds.  The results show that childrelated events and the time spent in treatment-centers has had a major impact on most of the women.  Age-related events have also been significant for women's decisions to end their criminality. A fundamental factor for maintaining the abandonment has been the women's conviction and belief in wanting to succeed. Other events that turned out to be significant were thematized to: the importance of social support, employment and a community outside of crime.

No description available.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka deltagarnas självbeskrivna vändpunkter som möjliggjort upphörandet från kriminalitet och droger, samt vilka faktorer som beskrivits som centrala i upprätthållandet av den nya livsstilen. Studien har baserats på sex intervjuer med personer som tidigare levt ett kriminellt liv. Vändpunkterna har beskrivits som en individuell kombination av en romantisk relation till en partner, brutna sociala band till viktiga närstående (exempelvis barn eller föräldrar), upplevd skadlig hälsopåverkan, anhopning av konsekvenser, personlig mognad och en nyfunnen gudstro. Upprätthållandet har beskrivits som framgångsrikt genom att deltagarna kontinuerligt utvärderat sin situation och arbetat på att bibehålla sin nya identitet. Detta har bland annat möjliggjorts genom att underhålla nya, sunda relationer; att ha en stimulerande arbetssituation; samt att vara goda förebilder, föräldrar och partners. Alla i gruppen lever idag i tolvstegsprogrammet, vilket de är övertygade om bidrar till en bestående förändring och en kontinuerlig personlig utveckling. / The purpose of this study has been to examine the participants’ self-described turning points that has enabled desistance from criminality and drugs, together with what factors described as central in the persistence of their new lifestyle. The study was based on interviews with six former offenders. The turning points were described as a unique combination of a romantic relationship to a partner, broken social bonds to important relatives, perceived adverse health effects, accumulation of consequences, personal maturity, and a newfound faith in God. The persistence were described as successful by continuously evaluating their situation and working to maintain their new identity. This was done by maintaining new, healthy relationships; a stimulating work situation; and being good role models, parents and partners. Everyone in the group is currently living with the twelve step program, since they believe it contributes to a lasting change and a continuous personal development.

No description available.

This study examined those employment-focused interventions (services, programming, mentorship, other supports) most effective in supporting an individual’s desistance from gang involvement. Utilizing a qualitative approach (interviews, document analysis and nonparticipant observation), this study engaged with individuals and organizations involved in the critical work of gang desistance to learn what makes their practices most effective. The criticality of gang desistance work lies in its efforts to address the thousands of lives continually lost each year as a result of gang-involvement and activity. Where gangs exist in cities, towns and communities across the country (and world, for that matter), the approaches of demonization, marginalization and suppression continue as the overwhelming response to gangs and gang activity. This study highlighted the individuals and organizations offering an alternative, employment-focused approach built on peer- and community-based efforts founded on inclusion and empowerment. Through the data collection, this study intended to identify and detail the practices of the research participants and why they are effective. Beginning with a review of available research within the field of gang desistance, an understanding of the evolving theories of the phenomenon of one desisting from gang involvement were explored, followed by an exploration of why individuals join gangs, the impacts of gang involvement, what prompts gang members to desist, and those interventions most supportive of this desistance. With an emphasis on service providers and leaders with the lived experience of gang desistance, as well as organizations dedicated to gang desistance work, the themes and evidence that emerged from the data collection provided deeper insights into how the process of desisting from gang involvement can be most effectively supported and realized. The outcome of this research pointed to several components of the work of gang desistance that make it most effective. These components focused on the desisting individual and the internal and external elements that both prompted and help maintained their desistance; the types of interventions most conducive to supporting a desisting individual––especially those focused on the individual’s identity desistance and self-efficacy; and, finally, those qualities of those service providers and organizations who provided these interventions and what made them impactful and effective. The findings of this study revealed that there are models, practices and other elements to support individuals toward effectively desisting from gang involvement. The findings also revealed the challenging and dynamic nature of the phenomenon of gang desistance––both for those desisting and those supporting them. Resulting from this nature of the work and the still developing field of gang desistance studies, these findings also offered areas of focus for future research toward a stronger understanding of the process of gang desistance, and, more importantly, the development and implementation of effective gang desistance concepts and practices.

Research in life-course criminology has been studying turning points away from criminality. There is although a limited amount of research that has been focusing on parenthood and especially on fatherhood as a potential turning point. The available studies show mixed results in this topic and the findings suggest that there are factors that can both form and restrict fatherhood as a potential turning point towards desistance. The aim for the present thesis is therefore to get a better understanding of fatherhood as a potential turning point from persistent offending and to examine the role and meaning of fatherhood in the criminal careers of Swedish former criminals. Qualitative method in the form of retrospective semi- structured interviews has been used to collect data and five former offenders that became fathers during their criminal career participated in the study. The data have been analysed with systematic text condensation and the results indicate that the men did not desist after becoming fathers. They did however have both intended and unintended breaks from criminality when their child was born, but the criminal lifestyle was their first choice and their children were put on the second place. Relationships to friends and in some cases to the mother of the child was a restricting factor for fatherhood to become a turning point. Another factor that restricted fatherhood from being a potential turning point was human agency. The men concluded that an offending father can not receive help from society if there is no will for the father to desist.

Fängelsestraffet framställs många gånger som en händelse i individens liv som försvårar för honom eller henne att lyckas i framtiden, exempelvis med att finna och behålla en bostad eller ett arbete. Tidigare forskning har dock påvisat att fängelsestraffet och dess innehåll kan vara faktorer som bidrar till att en individ upphör med brottslighet. Syftet med aktuell studie har därmed varit att i en svensk kontext undersöka fängelsestraffets betydelse för en minskad återfallsrisk i kriminalitet efter frigivning samt fängelsestraffets eventuella position som vändpunkt. Detta med främsta utgångspunkt i Robert J. Sampson och John H. Laubs teoretiska diskussion kring vändpunkter. Metoden som har använts i studien är av kvalitativ karaktär och sju semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med medlemmar från föreningen KRIS. Studiens slutsatser visar att fyra av sju respondenter upplever något av sina fängelsestraff som en vändpunkt. Resterande tre respondenter upplever dock att fängelsestraffet hade kunnat bli en vändpunkt för dem, om fängelsevistelsen hade varit utformad på ett annat sätt. Av de fyra respondenter som menar att fängelsestraffet har varit en vändpunkt, uttrycker tre av dem att fängelsevistelsen kom in vid rätt tidpunkt i deras liv och därmed fick positionen som en vändpunkt. Externa faktorers inverkan på fängelsestraffets betydelse som vändpunkt verkar därmed vara betydande. De externa faktorer som verkar har störst inverkan på denna process är plötsliga och negativa sjukdoms- och/eller familjerelaterade händelser. Även om inte alla respondenter upplever fängelsestraffet som en vändpunkt, menar sex av dem att fängelsevistelsen trots allt har haft någon form av betydelse för dem. Framförallt beskrivs fängelset som en ”viloplats”, där respondenterna har fått komma bort från missbruket och kriminaliteten utanför murarna. / Imprisonment is often identified as an event that reduces future life chances. For example, having been incarcerated automatically reduces the probability of finding and keeping employment. However, prior research shows that imprisonment has a potential importance in the process of achieving desistance. Consequently, the aim of this study has been to examine the importance of imprisonment in preventing recidivism but also to examine the potential position of imprisonment as a turning point. The main focus of the current study has been on the theoretical discussion of turning points by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub. By using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews have been conducted with seven members of the non-profit association KRIS. The conclusion of the current study is that four out of seven interview respondents experience the imprisonment as a turning point. Remaining three interview respondents refer to incarceration as a potential turning point in their lives; however, only if the imprisonment would have worked out differently. Of those interview respondents referring to imprisonment as a turning point, three argue that incarceration entered their life course in “right time”. The influence of external factors on the potential importance of imprisonment as a turning point thereby seems to be significant. Unexpected and negative events such as disease or family related issues seem to be those external factors having the largest impact on this process. Even though not all of the interview respondents experienced imprisonment as a turning point, six out of seven refer to incarceration as having some kind of significance in their life course. Primarily, the imprisonment is being seen as a “resting place”, in which the interview respondents have been given the opportunity to place themselves at distance from criminality and addiction outside the prison walls.