Denna studie behandlar fenomenen kriminalitet och identitetsskapande. Den syftar till att skapa kunskap om vägen in i kriminalitet samt utträde ur en kriminell gemenskap. Studien koncentreras till att förstå hur sociala faktorer kan påverka processen med fokus på identitetsskapande. Hur ser förändringsprocessen ut för individer som tidigare befunnit sig i utanförskap till att tillhöra en socialt accepterad gemenskap? Studien genomfördes med en fenomenologisk ansats och resultatet baseras på den empiri vi erhöll genom sju semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer. Intervjuerna har baserats på teman för att tillhandahålla samtalsstruktur och i ett led att besvara syftet. Urvalet är målstyrt och samtliga respondenter, utom en, är medlemmar i en ideell förening som arbetar stödjande för människor med en förflutet inom kriminalitet och missbruk. Resultatet visar att både in- och utträde ur en kriminell gemenskap är en komplex process och att omgivningen genomgående har en stor påverkan i processen och i möjliggörandet för en ny identitet. Sammanställningen av den insamlade empirin består av tre olika delar, vägen in i kriminalitet, livet som kriminell samt vägen ut ur kriminalitet och skapandet av en prosocial identitet. Resultatet analyseras genom meningskoncentrering och tematisk analys. / The purpose of this study is to explore criminality and identity-creation. Why does some people end up in criminality and how one desist from crime. This paper focuses on how social factors can influence the process in and out of criminality with focus on identity-creation. This study also seeks to understand the change-process; how does an individual with a criminal past move from being socially excluded to becoming a member of a socially accepted group? The study takes a phenomenological approach and the result is based on the data we received from seven semi-structured qualitative interviews. The interviews were based on different themes to structure the dialogue with a view towards answering the purpose. The sample we used are based on purposeful technique and all informants, except for one, are members of associations that work to support people with a history of crime and addiction. The results show that entering and leaving a criminal community are complex processes and also that social context has a major influence on the process and the possibility to create a new identity. The compiled data consists of three different parts: 1) the gateway to crime 2) life as a criminal and 3) desistance from crime and creating a prosocial identity. The result is analyzed by initial sentence-concentration and thematic analysis.

Återhämtning är en individuell process som handlar om att skapa hopp, mening och identitet. Betydelsefullt är tillgång till stödjande relationer och nätverk. Detta synsätt genomsyrar och är utgångspunkt för denna studie. Studiens syfte är att studera den individuella återhämtningsprocessen från missbruk och kriminalitet. Återhämtningsprocessen studerades utifrån sju aktuella självbiografiska verk som analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys och kopplades till tidigare forskning samt teorin Den individuella återhämtningsprocessens fyra grundpelare. Teorins grundpelare innefattar omdefiniering av sig själv, betydelsen av stöd, hantera symptom samt involvering i meningsfull aktivitet. Studiens resultat visar att det utöver faktorerna i teorin är viktigt för huvudpersonernas återhämtning att utföra symboliska handlingar som visar att en förändringsprocess påbörjats, samt att bryta med icke-stödjande relationer. Studien visar att huvudpersonernas återhämtning från missbruk och kriminalitet kan betraktas som en enda process. / Recovery is an individual process about creating hope, meaning and identity. Significant is access to supportive relationships and networks. This approach permeates and is the starting point for this study. The aim is to study the individual's recovery from abuse and crime. The recovery process was studied on the basis of seven current autobiographies, analyzed through thematic analysis, and linked to previous research and the theory The four columns of the individual recovery process. The columns includes redefinition of itself, the importance of support, dealing with symptoms and involvement in meaningful activity. The results show, in addition to the theory, that it is important for the autobiographer’s recovery to perform symbolic actions to show that a change has begun, and to end non-supporting relationships. The study shows that the autobiographer’s recovery from abuse and crime can be considered as a single process.

Ao analisarem-se súmulas dos campeonatos estaduais de ginástica artística dos últimos anos observou-se uma redução drástica no número de praticantes a partir dos 12 anos de idade. A desistência nesta faixa etária no RS passou a ser um problema para a ginástica artística (GA) de alto rendimento do Estado. Devido à falta de estudos específicos para esta modalidade esportiva no RS esta pesquisa propõese aos seguintes objetivos: (1) analisar os fatores que levam à desistência das ginastas de alto rendimento no RS; (2) identificar e descrever os fatores positivos e negativos do desenvolvimento no processo de formação das ginastas; (3) correlacionar o tipo de treinamento aplicado as ginastas em formação com os resultados obtidos na carreira; (4) verificar se há trabalho psicológico com as ginastas e que tipo de trabalho é realizado; (5) correlacionar a influência da iniciação precoce com a formação das ginastas; (6) verificar a influência do nível sócio econômico no desenvolvimento das ginastas; (7) identificar e analisar o papel da família no processo de formação das ginastas; (8) identificar e analisar o papel do técnico no processo de formação das ginastas. Para a pesquisa, foram selecionadas 10 ex-ginastas que treinaram no RS e participaram de Campeonatos Brasileiros de 1ª divisão e que desistiram da GA a partir de janeiro de 1998. Foram incluídos seus respectivos pais e/ou responsáveis. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de informações foi a entrevista semiestruturada em duas versões, uma para as exginastas e outra para os pais. Os resultados apontam haver 14 razões para a desistência da prática da GA de alto rendimento e outros itens positivos, entre estes o principal ponto citado foi a disciplina adquirida para a realização de outras atividades fora da vida esportiva. / When analysing the state championships of gymnastic artistic summaries of the last years, it is possible to observe a huge reduction of the numbers of practitioners with 12 years old. The desistance in this age group has become a problem for the high performance artistic gymnastics (AG) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Due to the lack of specific studies about this sport, this research aims to: (1) analyse the factors that leads to desistance from the high performance gymnasts in RS; (2) identify and describe the positive and negative factors of the development in the gymnasts training; (3) correlate the kind of training that is applied to the gymnasts with the results that are obtained in their careers; (4) verify if is there a psychological attendance for the gymnasts and what kind of attendance was being given; (5) correlate the influence of precocious initiation with the gymnasts training; (6) verify the influence of the socio-economic level in the development of the gymnasts; (7) identify and analyse the role of the family in the process of gymnasts training; (8) identify and analyse the role of the coacher in the process of gymnasts training. Ten ex-gymnasts were selected for this research, who had trained in RS and had participated of Brazilian Championships and had given-up from artistic gymnastics from January 1998. Their parents were also selected. The semi-structured interview was used in two versions: one for the ex-gymnasts and another one for their parents. The results point out that there are fourteen reasons for the desistance from high performance gymnastics, and that there are positive items like the acquired discipline to accomplish other activities that are not related with sports.

This thesis presents a body of work for the award of the Professional Doctorate in Social Work. Presented as three discrete but connecting projects, it is united by a broad interest in criminal justice sanctions and services and by a particular interest in the progression of participatory, person-centred and progressive approaches within that space. Project one consists of a recognised prior learning claim for 50% of the award and draws on four peer-refereed published papers. The first three papers contribute to developing criminological and professional debate on ‘what works?’ in supporting desistance from crime. The final paper locates recent justice ‘developments’ within Bauman’s analysis of consumerism and related debates about the commodification of public services. Project two reports on a funded study that set out to evaluate the impact of a staff training programme on the practice of community service supervision within a Scottish local authority. The commission and focus of this project reflects sustained attention to questions of what works in reducing re-offending and supporting desistance within community sanctions, and the reconsideration of these questions in spaces traditionally constructed in punitive rather than rehabilitative terms. The findings suggest that community service can provide people who offend with important opportunities for progression, desistance and change and that staff training has an important contribution to make to the progression of these outcomes. However, the findings also indicate that staff training is one of many important variables in this complex and multi-dimensional endeavour. Connecting with the above themes, the final and most substantial project presented explores the place and potential of those sentenced within criminal justice sanctions and services. Specifically, it explores the potential of co-production within this complex, contested and constrained space. As will be demonstrated, this is an important and topical area of inquiry, as are the methods used to progress it. The conclusion of this project is that co-production matters in justice. The detail and implications of this conclusion for justice policy, practice and research are discussed and explored.

The utility of crime desistance research for community management and rehabilitation of offenders is evident; however this field of research is relatively recent. Theoretical research on crime desistance has varied over the years, although generally the field has been divided between perspectives focusing on either social or psychological causes. In addition, much of the research is plagued with methodological problems, such as an abundance of retrospective studies and unrepresentative offender samples. The present study proposes a framework of crime desistance that integrates the social and psychological perspectives and is compatible with current views on offender rehabilitation. This framework entitled, the Positive Self Change (PSC) framework, generally states that crime occurs and is maintained when basic psychological needs are not being satisfied. When deprived needs causing crime are satisfied in an optimal manner, autonomous motivation to desist and reductions in crime-related factors will follow, resulting in crime desistance. The goal of the study is to develop and provide some support for this framework of crime desistance and compare it to the currently dominating theory of crime desistance, the revised age-graded informal social control (AGISC) theory. Two studies were conducted utilizing a multimethod approach. The first quantitative study prospectively tested whether aspects of the PSC framework are supported by determining whether the framework can predict crime desistance in 60 released offenders after a 7-year follow-up and compare it to the currently dominating explanation of crime desistance. The second study is a prospective case study of 3 federal offenders during their first few months of release from federal incarceration. Results provide support for the development of the PSC framework. Protective strategies, motivation and criminogenic risk factors significantly predicted crime desistance after 7 years. In addition, the PSC framework significantly added to the prediction of the AGISC theory for 2 of the 4 crime desistance outcome measures. Study 2 also provided some support and explanation to the findings of study 1. The final section presents a discussion of the overall conclusions, implications of the results, limitations and future directions.

Social learning theory continues to be one of the most enduring theories of crime. Psychological criminology, on the other hand, tends to explain crime in terms of behavioral propensities. This research is specifically focused on the generality of social learning theory as it varies across a measure of criminal propensity- in this case, psychopathy. Prior studies have tested various theories with the use of measures of propensity, but the theory is rarely social learning, and the measure of propensity has never been psychopathy. The current study examines three components of social learning theory (definitions, differential association, and differential reinforcement) to determine whether or not its influence is dependent on an individual's level of psychopathy. Data used in this research is from the Pathways to Desistance Project, a serious juvenile delinquent sample. Standard ordinary least-squares and Tobit regressions (a method of analyses designed to correct for linear relationships between variables when there is censoring in the dependent variable) are modeled. Results indicate that definitions, differential association, differential reinforcement, and both measures of psychopathy exerted significant main effects on antisocial behavior. In addition, the social learning variables interacted differently across varying levels of psychopathy. Conclusions and policy implications for future social science research are discussed within.

Ao analisarem-se súmulas dos campeonatos estaduais de ginástica artística dos últimos anos observou-se uma redução drástica no número de praticantes a partir dos 12 anos de idade. A desistência nesta faixa etária no RS passou a ser um problema para a ginástica artística (GA) de alto rendimento do Estado. Devido à falta de estudos específicos para esta modalidade esportiva no RS esta pesquisa propõese aos seguintes objetivos: (1) analisar os fatores que levam à desistência das ginastas de alto rendimento no RS; (2) identificar e descrever os fatores positivos e negativos do desenvolvimento no processo de formação das ginastas; (3) correlacionar o tipo de treinamento aplicado as ginastas em formação com os resultados obtidos na carreira; (4) verificar se há trabalho psicológico com as ginastas e que tipo de trabalho é realizado; (5) correlacionar a influência da iniciação precoce com a formação das ginastas; (6) verificar a influência do nível sócio econômico no desenvolvimento das ginastas; (7) identificar e analisar o papel da família no processo de formação das ginastas; (8) identificar e analisar o papel do técnico no processo de formação das ginastas. Para a pesquisa, foram selecionadas 10 ex-ginastas que treinaram no RS e participaram de Campeonatos Brasileiros de 1ª divisão e que desistiram da GA a partir de janeiro de 1998. Foram incluídos seus respectivos pais e/ou responsáveis. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de informações foi a entrevista semiestruturada em duas versões, uma para as exginastas e outra para os pais. Os resultados apontam haver 14 razões para a desistência da prática da GA de alto rendimento e outros itens positivos, entre estes o principal ponto citado foi a disciplina adquirida para a realização de outras atividades fora da vida esportiva. / When analysing the state championships of gymnastic artistic summaries of the last years, it is possible to observe a huge reduction of the numbers of practitioners with 12 years old. The desistance in this age group has become a problem for the high performance artistic gymnastics (AG) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Due to the lack of specific studies about this sport, this research aims to: (1) analyse the factors that leads to desistance from the high performance gymnasts in RS; (2) identify and describe the positive and negative factors of the development in the gymnasts training; (3) correlate the kind of training that is applied to the gymnasts with the results that are obtained in their careers; (4) verify if is there a psychological attendance for the gymnasts and what kind of attendance was being given; (5) correlate the influence of precocious initiation with the gymnasts training; (6) verify the influence of the socio-economic level in the development of the gymnasts; (7) identify and analyse the role of the family in the process of gymnasts training; (8) identify and analyse the role of the coacher in the process of gymnasts training. Ten ex-gymnasts were selected for this research, who had trained in RS and had participated of Brazilian Championships and had given-up from artistic gymnastics from January 1998. Their parents were also selected. The semi-structured interview was used in two versions: one for the ex-gymnasts and another one for their parents. The results point out that there are fourteen reasons for the desistance from high performance gymnastics, and that there are positive items like the acquired discipline to accomplish other activities that are not related with sports.

Applications for funding for arts interventions in prisons need to show the intervention will be working towards reducing reoffending. Previous studies mainly focus on the rehabilitative results of the arts intervention in repairing deficiencies in offenders’ social skills. These deficiencies prevent offenders from making constructive social interactions and are proved sometimes to be characteristic of criminality. However, the aim of this investigation was to use a grounded theory methodology to deconstruct the link between arts and rehabilitation by engaging in a research study in a young offender’s institute (YOI). The findings from the pilot study revealed that the link between rehabilitation and the Arts emerged as its potential to enable the appropriation of new roles. Taking these findings into my literature review, I developed a core framework around rehabilitation, an intervention typology, the Arts and role theory. I took this framework into my main investigation in a YOI in South West England amongst young people involved in music and art courses. From later stages in my research design emerged the significance for young people of the use of autobiographical techniques, showing the potential for participants to gain emotional and cathartic release before moving to a consideration of their future. Further depth of understanding of this pedagogical strategy was gained through interviews conducted with those involved in another course using autobiographical techniques: the Write to Freedom course. The outcomes revealed the place of role in developing and affirming identity and the pedagogical influences which were necessary to enable rehabilitation. The findings add to understanding about pedagogical structures, which can help a young person to envision a new role in a future that embraces desistance. These findings have implications in other contexts where participants inhabit roles which prevent learning development. These techniques can change perception enabling participants to appropriate renovated roles which offer new direction.

Ao analisarem-se súmulas dos campeonatos estaduais de ginástica artística dos últimos anos observou-se uma redução drástica no número de praticantes a partir dos 12 anos de idade. A desistência nesta faixa etária no RS passou a ser um problema para a ginástica artística (GA) de alto rendimento do Estado. Devido à falta de estudos específicos para esta modalidade esportiva no RS esta pesquisa propõese aos seguintes objetivos: (1) analisar os fatores que levam à desistência das ginastas de alto rendimento no RS; (2) identificar e descrever os fatores positivos e negativos do desenvolvimento no processo de formação das ginastas; (3) correlacionar o tipo de treinamento aplicado as ginastas em formação com os resultados obtidos na carreira; (4) verificar se há trabalho psicológico com as ginastas e que tipo de trabalho é realizado; (5) correlacionar a influência da iniciação precoce com a formação das ginastas; (6) verificar a influência do nível sócio econômico no desenvolvimento das ginastas; (7) identificar e analisar o papel da família no processo de formação das ginastas; (8) identificar e analisar o papel do técnico no processo de formação das ginastas. Para a pesquisa, foram selecionadas 10 ex-ginastas que treinaram no RS e participaram de Campeonatos Brasileiros de 1ª divisão e que desistiram da GA a partir de janeiro de 1998. Foram incluídos seus respectivos pais e/ou responsáveis. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de informações foi a entrevista semiestruturada em duas versões, uma para as exginastas e outra para os pais. Os resultados apontam haver 14 razões para a desistência da prática da GA de alto rendimento e outros itens positivos, entre estes o principal ponto citado foi a disciplina adquirida para a realização de outras atividades fora da vida esportiva. / When analysing the state championships of gymnastic artistic summaries of the last years, it is possible to observe a huge reduction of the numbers of practitioners with 12 years old. The desistance in this age group has become a problem for the high performance artistic gymnastics (AG) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Due to the lack of specific studies about this sport, this research aims to: (1) analyse the factors that leads to desistance from the high performance gymnasts in RS; (2) identify and describe the positive and negative factors of the development in the gymnasts training; (3) correlate the kind of training that is applied to the gymnasts with the results that are obtained in their careers; (4) verify if is there a psychological attendance for the gymnasts and what kind of attendance was being given; (5) correlate the influence of precocious initiation with the gymnasts training; (6) verify the influence of the socio-economic level in the development of the gymnasts; (7) identify and analyse the role of the family in the process of gymnasts training; (8) identify and analyse the role of the coacher in the process of gymnasts training. Ten ex-gymnasts were selected for this research, who had trained in RS and had participated of Brazilian Championships and had given-up from artistic gymnastics from January 1998. Their parents were also selected. The semi-structured interview was used in two versions: one for the ex-gymnasts and another one for their parents. The results point out that there are fourteen reasons for the desistance from high performance gymnastics, and that there are positive items like the acquired discipline to accomplish other activities that are not related with sports.

Background: Self-harm is important considering the demand it places on health services and its strong association as a risk factor for suicide. Research regarding protective factors for self-harm is limited, protective factors can be personal or social resources that reduce the impact of negative consequences, in the face of stressors. Identifying protective factors is important, provided they can be enhanced and utilised to inform intervention. Aims: This thesis had two aims; to systematically review the literature investigating the relationship between social support and suicidality, and to use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the factors that support desistance from self-harm. Methods: Quantitative studies, exploring the relationship between social support and suicidality were reviewed systematically. The empirical study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to investigate self-harm behaviour in context, identify potential protective factors and explore what participants have found to be helpful to desist from selfharm behaviour. Semi structured interviews were conducted with nine participants (18- 61years) recruited from the Adult Community Mental Health Team. Results: Findings of the systematic review indicate that there is an association between poor social support and increased suicidality in adulthood. In the empirical study four main themes emerged from the data: Self-harm provided Relief from Psychological Distress, Difficulties Communicating, Social support and Gradual desistance. Conclusions: Social support may be an important factor that protects against suicidality; however further research is required to investigate this association. Findings from the empirical study suggest that treatment providers must be sensitive to the context and function of self-harm behaviour for the individual, and be willing to work to reduce the self-harm behaviour, while being cognisant that self-harm may be protective for the individual and prevent more severe self-harm or even suicide.