Aim: The aim of this study was to identify and interpret former criminal delinquents experiences of what internal, social and structual factors are contingent on the process of change in offending. Method: A qualitative method was used with a hermeneutic approach. A qualitative inquiry was conducted through three semi-structured life story interviews with former criminal delinquents working on an organization that specifically strives to help delinquents to desist from crime.  The mode of analysis utilized in this study was the concept of turning points and a life course perspective which are useful tools in understanding the crucial parts of the processes and factors in the desistance process. Results: The results identified twelve sub-interpretations which were distilled into three over-arching interpretations which lead to the following singular conceptual interpretation: Creating preconditions to promote reintegration and readaptation to society is viewed as important to successfully desist from crime, which, in turn, depends on three sets of factors: cognitive transformation, individual’s social environment and structural/external factors which are interdependent on each other. Future research areas are suggested.

Brottsligheten i Sverige har ökat. Två av fem individer återfaller i brott efter frigivning. De individer som lever i utanförskap och kriminalitet är i en utsatt position. Flertalet av kriminalvårdens klienter har behov av insatser från olika verksamheter för att klara sig från återfall i kriminalitet. Syftet med studien är att få en djupare förståelse om vad före detta kriminella anser har varit betydelsefullt i deras process att lämna sin kriminella livsstil. Syftet är även att belysa vilken inverkan kriminalvården och socialtjänstens insatser har utgjort i denna process. De frågeställningar som studien ämnar besvara är: Vad har varit betydelsefullt för att kunna lämna den kriminella livsstilen? Vilken betydelse har insatser från kriminalvården utgjort i processen att lämna den kriminella livsstilen? Vilken betydelse har insatser från socialtjänsten utgjort i processen att lämna den kriminella livsstilen? För att besvara dessa frågor har vi använt oss av en kvalitativ ansats. Åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med medlemmar från KRIS och X-cons. Resultatet har analyserats utifrån teorin om sociala band samt tidigare forskning inom den valda studiens område. Det informanterna har uppgett som mest betydelsefullt är att känna ett sammanhang och meningsfullhet till sådant som sysselsättning, fritid och sociala relationer. Det som också har haft betydelse är de vändpunkter som informanterna har kommit i kontakt med. Dessa har varit sådant som fängelsestraff, försämrad hälsa, kontakt med föreningar och insatser från kriminalvården och socialtjänsten som sedan lett dem till insikt och möjlighet till förändring av deras livssituation. / Crime in Sweden has increased. Two out of five individuals reoffend after release from prison. Those individuals who are living in alienation and crime are in a vulnerable position. Most of the prison service and probation clients are in need of support from various authorities in order to desist from crime. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of what ex-criminals think has been important in their process to leave their criminal lifestyle. It also aims to view the impact of prison service and probation and social services support in this process. The questions which the study intends to answer are: What has been important to be able to leave the criminal lifestyle? How important has the efforts of the prison and probation service been in the process of leaving the criminal lifestyle? How important has the efforts of social services been in the process of leaving the criminal lifestyle? To answer these questions, we used a qualitative approach. Eight semi-structurerd interviews were conducted with members of KRIS and X-cons. The results have been analyzed according to the theory of social bonds and previous research of the selected study field. The informants have indicated that the most important factor is to feel a connection and meaningfulness such as employment, leisure and social relationships. What also played an important role were the turning points that the informants have come in contact with. These have been such as a prison sentance, impaired health, contact with organizations and efforts of prison and probation service and social services which then led them to the knowledge and ability to change their lives.

No description available.

This study uplifted the stories of formerly incarcerated and/or system-impacted students attending a California community college (i.e., “Rising Scholars”) to provide qualitative context to a growing literature following the state’s promotion of support programs at the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges (CCC) systems. This study interviewed six formerly incarcerated/system impacted Rising Scholars using a narrative inquiry methodology with a theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Desistance theory to inquire about their educational experiences before and during their enrollment at an urban California community college with reentry support. Key themes in the interviews include trauma in early educational experiences, dropping out of college, the gendered experiences of formerly incarcerated women, the role of pregnancy and parenthood as a turning point, and authentic care expressed by the support staff. The narratives of the participants are offered as a counter-narrative to the quantitative neoliberal practice of justifying reentry programs based solely on reductions in recidivism rates. Recommendations include increasing trauma-informed pedagogy in TK-12 and Postsecondary education, recruiting and educating more allies for Rising Scholars on campus, ensuring that campus reentry support programs fully meet the needs of female Rising Scholars, and uplifting successes and scholarship by Rising Scholars to build lasting structural support for the Rising Scholars Network.

This thesis examines the interaction of criminal justice policy and social policy within the Prolific and Priority Offenders Scheme (PPOS), a government initiative which aims to reduce offending by persistent offenders. The research on which this thesis is based takes an interpretative approach to social inquiry and employs a qualitative methodology. It examines the operation of four PPO Schemes in the Thames Valley through semi-structured interviews with 22 practitioners and 16 offenders, and participant observation of over 45 multi-agency meetings. The interaction between crime and social policy is explored through examination of three aspects of the PPOS: the coercion of offenders within the Schemes; the working practices and roles of the police and probation officers seconded to the Schemes; and the way in which information and intelligence is used and generated within the Schemes. The central argument of this thesis is that the widely-accepted idea that social policy is being ‘criminalised’ provides an inadequate account of the relationship between criminal justice and social policy in the PPOS. Rather, this Scheme evidences a merger of criminal justice and social welfare agendas, which includes elements of the ‘socialisation’ of crime policy in addition to elements of ‘criminalisation’ of social policy. Whilst the ultimate aim of the PPOS is to reduce crime, and whilst social welfare services such as health, housing and benefits are provided in pursuance of this aim, the ways in which these services are provided accords with the ethos and values of social policy. The idea of a merger of criminal justice and social policy has relevance beyond the PPOS, providing a framework for analysis of other contemporary criminal justice policies, and contributing to broader debates in criminology which have for so long been dominated by the ‘criminalisation’ thesis.

La présente étude explore la trajectoire de vie d’un détenu condamné à une peine à perpétuité qui bénéficie d’une libération conditionnelle totale afin d’identifier laquelle ou lesquelles des cinq grandes conceptualisations théoriques du désistement criminel permettent le mieux d’expliquer sa trajectoire de désistement. Pour atteindre cet objectif, une méthodologie qualitative de type exploratoire a été privilégiée. Un homme purgeant une peine à perpétuité dans la collectivité a été rencontré en contexte d’entretiens afin de restituer en profondeur son histoire de vie et cerner, à la lumière des théories recensées, les concepts applicables à son désistement criminel. Une série de neuf entretiens d’environ une heure et demie a été réalisée. Le récit de vie de monsieur P est présenté et analysé pour illustrer l’applicabilité des principales conceptualisations théoriques du désistement criminel qui ont été recensées dans le présent mémoire. L’analyse des données recueillies a permis de faire ressortir l’importance de considérer le concept identitaire dans le processus de désistement et le changement psychologique qui l’accompagne. La discussion aborde quelques pistes d’interventions susceptibles de soutenir le travail des membres du personnel qui œuvrent auprès des délinquants qui purgent de longues peines. Celles-ci prennent en compte les défis posés par la clientèle particulière des détenus à perpétuité et cherchent à maximiser leur réintégration sociale lors de leur mise en liberté. / This research explores the life trajectory of an offender serving a life sentence in the community after having been granted a full parole. The goal of this research is to identify which of the five main theoretical concepts, explaining the cessation of criminal behavior, best indicates what led him to cease his criminal behavior. To reach this objective, an exploratory qualitative research was preferred. A man serving a life sentence in the community was interviewed on numerous occasions. These interviews were aimed at getting the utmost account of his life story and then, by integrating the appropriate theories in the research process, selecting the concepts that best explained the cessation of his criminal behavior. A series of nine interviews, each one lasting approximately an hour and a half, were conducted. For the purpose of this memoir, the life story of Mr. P is presented and analyzed so has to illustrate the application of the main theoretical concepts linked to the cessation of criminal behavior. By analyzing the data collected, the importance of considering the identity concept in the cessation of criminal behavior was noted just as the psychological change that comes with it. The discussion also addresses certain intervention strategies that are likely to offer an improved support for people working with offenders serving long sentences. These interventions take into account the challenges that arise when working with this type of clientele and they aim at maximizing the social reinsertion potential of these individuals upon release.

Cette thèse de doctorat explore les trajectoires de deux types de déviance, celle de joueurs excessifs (N=100) et celle de délinquants (N=172). Le questionnaire utilisé dans chacun des cas possède un important volet destiné à recueillir des renseignements de manière chronologique par différentes thématiques; la méthode des calendriers d’histoire de vie. L’intérêt d’une analyse de calendrier est qu’elle permet de tenir compte des changements ponctuels de comportement et d’évaluer les effets à court terme de la prise en charge des sujets au cours de leur carrière déviante. La démonstration se base sur trois dimensions des trajectoires : l’intensité de l’engagement, les épisodes d’abstinence volontaire et les épisodes de rechutes. Le résultat majeur de ma thèse montre que les circonstances de vie (facteurs dynamiques) rendent bien compte des dimensions des trajectoires alors que les caractéristiques des individus (facteurs fixes ou statiques) ont souvent très peu de force explicative. Une analyse attentive des effets indirects montre la pertinence de continuer à s’intéresser à ces facteurs. En effet, l’impact des caractéristiques dynamiques est souvent conditionnel à certaines variables statiques. Aucune étude, tant américaine que canadienne, ne s’est penchée sur la dynamique des trajectoires de joueurs excessifs. Le troisième chapitre examine les fluctuations mensuelles des sommes englouties dans les jeux de hasard et d’argent. On s’efforce de comprendre ce qui incite les joueurs à dépenser davantage certains mois et moins à d’autres. Une attention particulière est aussi consacrée aux mois où les joueurs cessent de participer aux jeux de hasard et d’argent et aux facteurs qui favorisent cette abstinence provisoire. Le quatrième chapitre se concentre sur les trajectoires de délinquants. Dans ce cas-ci, la performance criminelle, les revenus illégaux mensuels, mesure l’intensité de l’engagement criminel. On s’intéresse dans ce chapitre aux conditions régissant à la fois les épisodes de réussite criminelle et les épisodes concomitants de désistement temporaire. Les mesures « officielles » de récidive (nouvelle condamnation, nouvelle entrée en thérapie) présentent un problème de chiffre noir (les rechutes effectives sont plus nombreuses que les rechutes connues des autorités officielles). L’intérêt du chapitre cinq est de miser sur une analyse autorévélée des rechutes et du « moment » où ces rechutes se produisent. Le deuxième objectif de cette étude est de comparer les épisodes de rechutes dans ces deux trajectoires de déviance. La logique de ce chapitre suit celles des précédents, on s’intéresse à la dynamique qui entoure ces épisodes, on se demande si elle est similaire au sein des deux trajectoires déviantes. / This thesis explores the trajectories of two types of deviance, that of excessive gamblers (N = 100) and of persistent offenders (N = 172). The questionnaire used in each case has an important component to collect information chronologically on different themes; the life history calendar method. The interest of a calendar analysis is that it takes into account the specific changes in behaviour and evaluates the short-term effects during their deviant careers. The demonstration is based on the three dimensions of the trajectories: the intensity of the commitment, the episodes of voluntary abstinence and relapse episodes. The major result of my thesis demonstrates that the circumstances of life (dynamic factors) have a greater influence on the dimensions of the trajectories, whereas the individual characteristics (fixed or static factors) often have very little explanatory power. A careful analysis of the indirect effects illustrates the relevance of maintaining an interest in these factors. Indeed, the impact of dynamic characteristics is often conditional on certain static variables. No study, either American or Canadian, has examined the dynamic trajectories of excessive gamblers. The second chapter examines the monthly fluctuations of amounts spent on gambling and games of chance. We attempted to understand what motivates gamblers to spend more certain months and less at others. Particular attention is also devoted to the months when the players cease to gamble, and the factors that promote this provisional abstinence. The third chapter focuses on the trajectories of persistent offenders. Here, the criminal performance (illegal monthly income), measure the intensity of the criminal commitment. In this chapter, we are interested in the conditions that favour both the success of criminal episodes and episodes of temporary desistance. The “official” measures of recidivism (new conviction, new admission into therapy) present a problem when it comes to unrecorded events; the actual relapses outnumber the relapse known by the official authorities. The interest of chapter four is to focus on an auto-revealed analysis of relapse and of the “moment in time" when these relapses occur. The second objective of this study is to compare the relapse episodes between the two trajectories. The logic of this chapter follows that of the preceding ones, we are interested in the dynamics surrounding these episodes and we wish to see if it is similar in both deviant trajectories.

Ces recherches doctorales démontrent comment l’aporie et ses voix/voies plurielles minent l’œuvre Lawrencienne: romans, essais, poèmes ou encore tableaux. Malgré le désir du lecteur de donner une voix/voie singulière – ou interprétation – à l’œuvre de D. H. Lawrence, seule une herméneutique et une vérité plurielle viennent à notre rencontre, nous laissant ainsi soumis à une impasse insurmontable. Tout au long de ce chemin doctoral, nul n’est à l’abri des culs de sacs et des trébuchements. Ainsi, une aporie génétique tisse le tissu textuel des premières ébauches de D. H. Lawrence, et la souveraineté logocentrique et herméneutique de l’homme est renversée. La rature s’impose et l’œuvre de D. H. Lawrence nous rappelle que le logos, et l’Être, résistent, pour mieux inscrire l’aporie dans son corpus. Les limites du langage, de la religion, du savoir, et de la représentation artistique de la réalité résonne désormais avec une question qui demeure sans réponse et en suspens. / This work of research aims at showing how aporia and its plural voices pervade D.H Lawrence’s work, be it through his novels, his essays, his poetry, or his paintings. Despite the reader’s desire to give one singular voice and meaning to D.H Lawrence’s work, plural meanings and multiples truths come our way, leaving us facing an uncrossable impasse. The road is paved with deadlocks and places to stumble upon. Indeed, genetic aporia weaves the very fabric of D.H. Lawrence’s first drafts and sketches, and the logocentric and hermeneutic sovereignty of man is put into question. In fact, we have to cross it out as Lawrence’s work reminds us that the logos, and Being, show some resistance, the result of which is to better inscribe aporia into his corpus. The limits of language, of religion, of knowledge, and of the artistic representation of reality resonate now with an everlasting and unanswered question.

Denna studie undersöker vilka upplevelser och erfarenheter som påverkat individer när de tagit beslutet att lämna en kriminell livsstil; och vilka faktorer som varit avgörande i förändringsprocessen till ett liv utan kriminalitet. Kvalitativa intervjuer har använts som metod för att besvara frågeställningarna. Fem personer med koppling till organisationen KRIS har intervjuats och resultatet har analyserats utifrån en teoretisk referensram bestående av Laub och Sampsons (2006) definition av begreppet turning points; Paternoster och Bushways (2009) identitetsteori om avhopp från kriminalitet; och Emirbayer och Mishes (1998) teoretiska beskrivning av begreppet human agency. Resultatet visar att alla intervjupersonerna påverkats av crystalization of discontent och drivkraften att undvika the feared possible self (Paternoster & Bushway, 2009) när de beslutat att lämna kriminaliteten. Den egna viljan beskrivs av intervjupersonerna som den mest avgörande faktorn i förändringsprocessen. Andra faktorer som varit betydande är socialt stöd och att hålla fast vid nya rutiner kopplade till livet utan kriminalitet. Slutsatserna i uppsatsen är att det sällan räcker med enskilda faktorer, ofta är det ett samspel mellan flera faktorer som leder till förändring. / The purpose of the present study is to identify events and experiences that influences individuals to make the decision to desist from a criminal life style; and to identify crucial and important factors in the process of desisting from a criminal life style. The used method is qualitative interviews. Five persons connected to KRIS (an organization with the aim to help desisters) were interviewed and the results were analyzed through a theoretic framework consisting Laub and Sampson ́s (2006) definition of the concept of turning points; Paternoster and Bushway ́s (2009) identity theory of desistance from crime; and Emirbayer and Mishe ́s theoretical definition of the concept of human agency. The result shows that all interviewees were affected by crystalization of discontent and the motive to avoid feared possible self (Paternoster & Bushway, 2009) when they decided to desist from criminality. The own will was identified as the most crucial factor in the process of criminal desistance. Social support and the importance of hanging on to new routines were mentioned as other important factors in the process. The conclusion of the study is that it is seldom enough with single factors as solutions to the problems of this study. A successful desistance process is often a result of an interplay between several factors.

This study is a review of literature on the theme of what factors positive for a person to leave a criminal lifestyle. The purpose of the study is to investigate these factors and try to determine whether there are consistent patterns in the existing literature on the subject in order to answer the study's questions. Questions for the study were (1) What social factors affect a person's motivation to leave a criminal lifestyle and maintain desistance from crime? Also (2) which structures in society have a positive and negative impact in the process of change between crime and a normative lifestyle? The work of collecting literature has  been done through a search and a selection process of peer-reviewed literature. Finally, 13 articles on the subject were included. The results show that the factors that can affect whether a person withdraws from crime are scattered, but the factors that mainly stood out as positive were relationship ties to family and internal motivation.