Med hjälp av en systematisk litteraturstudie är syftet med denna uppsats att sammanställa och granska tidigare forskning om desistance (varför och när individer slutar begå brott) för vuxna kvinnor som har varit intagna i fängelse. Genom att identifiera luckor i ämnets befintliga forskningsbild syftar också studien till att ge rekommendationer för vidare studier och visa på möjliga tillämpningsområden. Desistanceprocessen för kvinnor som har varit intagna i fängelse har fått relativt lite uppmärksamhet i jämförelse med andra dimensioner och urvalsgrupper inom kriminella karriärer. Då en lång kriminell karriär resulterar i kostnader och andra konsekvenser både för samhället, brottsoffret och gärningspersonen själv är forskning om desistance av stor vikt. Resultatet i uppsatsen visar att socialt kapital, positiva sociala band och kognitiv förändring är de främsta förklaringarna till varför vuxna kvinnor som har varit intagna i fängelse slutar begå brott. Dessa måste samtidigt ses i relation till de utmaningar kvinnorna står inför under förloppet av desistanceprocessen då de har stor påverkan på utfallet. / Using a systematic literature review, the aim of this essay is to compile and review previous research on desistance (why and when individuals stop to commit crimes) for adult women who have been incarcerated. By identifying gaps in the subject's existing research image, the study also aims at providing recommendations for further studies and demonstrating possible areas of application. The desistanceprocess for women who have been incarcerated has received relatively little attention in comparison with other dimensions and selection groups in criminal careers. Since a long criminal career results in costs and other consequences for both society, victims and the perpetrators themselves, research on desistance is of great importance. The result of this essay shows that social capital, positive social ties and cognitive change are the main reasons why adult women who have been incarcerated stop to commit crimes. These must also be seen in relation to the challenges facing women during the course of the desistanceprocess as they have a major impact on the outcome.

Identitetens roll i upphörande av brott och drogbruk har tidigare undersökts i ett antal studier som visat på dess betydelse i processen. Drogbrukande individer är en särskilt utsatt grupp i samhället och därav av intresse för kriminologin. Det existerar dock en brist på forskning om kvinnor inom fältet. Denna studie syftade därför till att belysa kvinnor med drogbruksproblematik genom att undersöka vilka externa faktorer som innehar mest betydelse i deras utveckling till en drogfri identitet. Detta undersöktes genom en analys av kvalitativa ostrukturerade livshistorier på tio kvinnor. Det största fyndet var att modersidentiteten och barn spelade en betydande roll för kvinnorna, både genom att bidra till en identitetsförändring samt genom en yttre kontroll. Viktiga personer och vården hade en positiv inverkan i de fall där de ökat en förståelse hos kvinnorna inför sitt egna bruk, vad det innebar och då den tillförde nya synsätt och inte i de fall när de fungerade som en informell kontroll. Vi fann, trots tidigare fokus inom kriminologin, inget som styrkte att fritidsaktiviteter hade någon som helst inverkan på en förändrad identitet till drogfrihet. Framtida interventioner bör lägga fokus på betydelsen av modersidentiteten då denna tidpunkt i kvinnornas liv visade på högst nivå av motivation men även på den information som ges till kvinnorna angående drogbruk då detta visade sig ha en positiv inverkan på deras identiteter. / The role of identity in the desistance of crime- and drug use careers has previously been examined in a number of studies which has shown its significance in the process. Drug users are a particularly vulnerable group in society and hence of interest in criminology. There is, however, a lack of research on women in the criminological field. This study therefore aimed to highlight women with drug use problems by examining which external factors that are of most importance in their development into a drug-free identity. This was examined through an analysis of ten qualitative unstructured narratives with women. The major finding was that maternal identity and children played a significant role for women, both by contributing to identity change and through external control. Important people and health care facilities had a positive impact on the women’s identities only in those cases where it increased the understanding for their own use, what it meant and when it brought new perspectives and not when it served as a type of informal control. We found, despite former focus in criminology, nothing that suggested that recreational activities had any impact on a changed identity towards drug-freeness. Future interventions should focus on the importance of maternal identity because this point of time in the women's lives showed the highest degree of motivation but also on the information given to women about drug use in general, as this proved to have a positive impact on their identities.

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Drug abuse often correlates with a criminal career. Compulsory care of addicts aims to motivate the individual to come to terms with their addiction. However, crime can be part of the lifestyle that the addict gets involved in. This essay examines how the preventive treatment at the State Board of Institutions in Sweden works to prevent relapse for both addiction and crime. The issues also concern collaboration in addition to treatment work. The material was gathered through qualitative semi-structured interviews with five people in the treatment staff at one of the State Department Board's LVM homes. The analysis was a thematic analysis and the collection of material resulted in three themes: "treatment work", "lack of knowledge among staff" and "collaboration". The informants believe that the treatment work has a good effect through the social bonds that are created between the client and treatment staff, but also so called “treatment conversations”. Clients are perceived to have high motivation during the time for LVM, but this often decreases after LVM completion. The result of the study shows that there is a lack of knowledge among treatment staff, mainly regarding crime prevention and psychiatry. Collaboration is perceived to work deficient, and informants highlight shortcomings in the provision of information between the actors involved. The results are subsequently attributed to social bond theory, the age-graded theory of informal social control, routine activity theory and to previous research on addiction and crime. The results are intended to be used instrumentally in order to improve the treatment work at the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care, which in turn improves prevention for both substance abuse and crime.

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.

Despite a growing body of research on desistance, there remains a significant gap in understanding the unique experiences of female ex-offenders, particularly within the Swedish context. Much of the existing literature predominantly focuses on male offenders, thereby overlooking gender-specific pathways and challenges faced by women. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring how Swedish female ex-offenders navigate desistance, focusing on individual experiences and social contexts. The thematic analysis of interviews with two participants revealed key themes including cumulative disadvantages, contextual embeddedness, developmental trajectories, life course transitions, and the role of agency and structure. Both participants experienced early exposure to drugs and societal barriers that shaped their pathways into and out of crime. Despite systemic barriers, their narratives highlight personal growth driven by motherhood and a desire for change. The study underscores the need for tailored interventions and gender-responsive policies to support women's desistance efforts effectively. Recommendations include addressing the root causes of female offending and facilitating access to support services. By adopting a holistic perspective, policymakers can promote successful desistance and reintegration for women in the criminal justice system.

Malgré l’intérêt grandissant des études portant sur le processus de désistement du crime, cet aspect demeure l’un des moins bien compris de la carrière criminelle. À ce jour, peu de recherches se sont penchées sur le lien entre la carrière criminelle passée et la période qui lui succède, soit le désistement. Cette présente étude vise à reconstruire les trajectoires criminelles d’individus ayant poursuivi une carrière criminelle. Les données colligées proviennent des récits narratifs de 15 participants ayant connu une carrière criminelle significative et s’identifiant comme s’étant désistés avec succès. L’objectif derrière ce projet est de mieux saisir le processus de maintien à long terme du désistement criminel. Une attention particulière est accordée à l’influence de la trajectoire criminelle (ses circonstances, ses paramètres) et sur la façon dont se déploie le processus de désistement. L’échantillon de délinquants examinés dans cette recherche se démarque par le fait que les individus rencontrés étaient essentiellement impliqués dans une criminalité à but lucratif. L’objectif spécifique des analyses qualitatives réalisées était d’observer s’il y avait un lien entre le niveau de réussite (revenu criminel et évitement des sanctions pénales) et le sens ou la représentation du désistement criminel. La première contribution est de montrer, comme d’autre avant nous, que le désistement est un processus et non un moment précis dans la carrière criminelle. La seconde contribution est d’avoir montré l’incidence de la réussite criminelle sur les autres paramètres de la trajectoire criminelle. La troisième contribution est d’avoir identifié deux types d’influences de la réussite criminelle (les deux côtés de la médaille) ; d’un côté elle prolonge la carrière criminelle et de l’autre, une fois ladite carrière terminée, la réussite peut faciliter la réinsertion sociale. À la lumière des résultats, la réussite criminelle se doit d’être considérée comme un paramètre « officiel » de la carrière criminelle. Finalement, une telle recherche permet d’orienter le développement de programmes visant la réinsertion sociale. / Despite the increasing interest of researchers towards criminal desistance, this aspect remains one of the less understood of the criminal career. To this day, only few researches have attempted to analyze the link between an individual’s past criminal career and the period that follows it, which would be known as the desistance period. This present study attempts to reconstruct the criminal trajectory of individuals who have pursued criminal careers. The collected data come from 15 participant’s self-narrative stories who have led significant criminal careers and who now identify themselves as having successfully desisted. The objective behind this project is to better understand the long-term maintenance process of the criminal desistance. Particular attention will be given to the influence of the criminal trajectory (the circumstances, the parameters) and how the desistance process takes place. The sample of examined criminals in this research stands out by the fact that the surveyed individuals were essentially involved in lucrative crimes. The specific objective of the qualitative analyses was to observe if there was a link between the success level (criminal revenues and avoidance of criminal sanctions) and the meaning or the representation of criminal desistance. The first contribution is to demonstrate, as others before us, that desistance is a process and not a precise moment in the criminal career. The second contribution is the demonstration of the incidence of criminal success on the other parameters of the criminal trajectory. The third contribution is the demonstration that two types of influence were associated with criminal success (the two sides of the medal); on one side, it lengthens the criminal career, and on the other, it can facilitate the social rehabilitation once the individual quits his criminal career. The results suggest that criminal success has to be considered as an “official” parameter of the criminal career. Finally, this type of research helps orientate the development of programs aimed toward social rehabilitation.

Ce projet de mémoire examine les perceptions et expériences d’une douzaine de personnes travaillant et/ou vivant sur une ferme de réinsertion pour les personnes contrevenantes. Après avoir participé pendant un mois aux activités de la ferme et nous être entretenu auprès de 12 personnes, nous avons exploré comment la ferme fonctionne, comment ses différentes composantes sont utilisées et comment l’intervention s’intègre avec le concept du désistement assisté. Nous avons trouvé qu’un lien unissait la ferme et la communauté environnante. Cependant, ce lien n’a pas encore été exploré par la littérature. En plus de promouvoir le maintien d’une abstinence de délit, le care farming, à travers le contact avec la communauté se place comme une intervention de choix en ce qui a trait aux pratiques soutenant la reconstruction identitaire et la réintégration des personnes judiciarisées. En effet, cette intervention, bien que permettant de multiples bienfaits, ne trouve son sens qu’à travers la collaboration avec le monde extérieur. / This dissertation project examines the perceptions and experiences of a dozen people working and/or living on a rehabilitation farm. After participating for a month in the farm's activities and interviewed 12 people we explored how the farm operates, how its various components are used, and how the intervention fits with the concept of assisted desistance. We found that there was a connection between the farm and the surrounding community. However, this connection has not yet been explored by the literature. In addition to promoting the maintenance of abstinence from crime, care farming, trough contact with the community, is an intervention of choice for practices that support the reconstruction of identity and the reintegration of offenders. Indeed, this intervention, while providing multiple benefits, only makes sense through collaboration with the outside world.

Despite recent drops in rates, juvenile incarceration remains a serious issue in the United States (Hockenberry, 2013; Mendel, 2011). One shared part of the incarceration experience across different systems and facility types is the obligation for juvenile offenders to receive correctional education. Ample research demonstrates that increased academic achievement, attending community school, and being employed are connected to better community outcomes and desistance, yet little is known about how school experiences in the facility influences these outcomes. Applying life-course theory of the development of crime (Sampson & Laub, 1997, 2005), the present study investigates whether correctional education serves as a turning point to influence a number of community adjustment outcomes in serious juvenile offenders. Specifically, it tested how subjective (teacher bonding and school orientation) and objective (grades, time spent in the facility school) parts of the school experience during the facility stay were related to transitioning to community schools (attendance), and/or work (gainful activity and employment), self-reported delinquency, and staying in the community at 6 and 12 months after release for a sample of 519 male and 50 female serious juvenile offenders. Results showed that across juvenile and adult facilities, improved attachment to the facility school while incarcerated predicted increased involvement in gainful activity and decreases in self-reported delinquency up to 12 months after release. This positive effect was greatest for younger offenders who returned to school, even when accounting for the number of previous facility stays and prior community school experiences. Conversely, older offenders who returned to gainful employment showed less positive adjustment. In contrast to other studies, grades received while incarcerated were not a significant predictor of community adjustment. Overall, the results repeatedly show behavioral differences based on individual history and experiences during incarceration across different types of facilities, strongly supporting a research agenda that treats incarceration as more than a binary variable. The present results add to the corpus of evidence that the perspective of the incarcerated juveniles matter and suggest that the school experience while incarcerated can serve as an important turning point, indicating resources should be directed towards enhancing juveniles’ school orientation and relationships with teachers.

La probation est aujourd’hui profondément ancrée dans notre système de justice pénale. Parmi les programmes de surveillance communautaire (probation, condamnation avec sursis ou libération conditionnelle), elle constitue de loin le programme le plus commun, avec près de 98 000 contrevenants adultes soit 61 % de la population adulte placée sous surveillance correctionnelle au Canada. Pour autant, les chercheurs ne manifestent depuis plusieurs décennies que peu d’intérêt pour la question. La mesure se banalisant, la recherche s’étiole. L’orientation de la recherche a amené le sujet à la marge des études sur la punition. En réponse à une demande existante (Phelps, 2015), ce mémoire est guidé par une approche sociologique centrée sur l’échelle individuelle, au niveau macroscopique. Il vise à la compréhension de l’expérience des contrevenants placés en probation. / Nowadays in criminal justice probation is a well-established sentence. Among community supervision (probation, suspended sentence or parole), probation is by far the most common program in Canada. There are nearly 98,000 adult offenders on probation, corresponding to 61 % of adults under correctional supervision in Canada. That being said, researchers show little interest in this specific program of community supervision. In fact, the focus of research has brought the subject to the margin studies on punishment. Inflation of prison populations has hijacked the scientific scope to prisons ; marked by a certain criminal ideology, the few remaining research on probation take the same path. In response to an existent request (Phelps, 2015), this study fits to a sociological approach on a macro perspective. The purpose of this study is not to draw up a comprehensive picture or generate statistical trends but focuses on the exploration of their only common point: the experience of probation and how they lived it.