desistance Flashcards
age-crime
age crime curve
there are certain ages where you move away from crime
Peak at age teen-25ish and then when people hit 30, they stop committing crime-on average.
“As people get older their tendency to engage in most types of violent crimes rapidly declines” McKnight, 1995
Desistance
the action of desisting from criminal behaviour
why do people desist from crime
maturity
changes in values/priorities
motivation to stop
what are the 5 reasons proposed by Farrington 2002 to why people start offending?
energising directing inhibiting decision-making consequences
why start offending
energising
long term desires for material goods, status and excitement but short term desires are boredom and anger.
why start offending
directing
socially disapproved methods of satisfying desires are chosen e.g. stealing a car
why start offending
inhibiting
antisocial tendencies can be inhibited by beliefs and attitudes towards it i.e if been previously punished for it, or parents show an inbuilt tendency that it is wrong.
why start offending
decision-making
whether a person commits an antisocial act depends on opportunities, costs and benefits.
why start offending
consequences
consequences can be reinforcing or punishing.
labelling the offender can make it difficult for them to achieve their goals legally and hence can increase antisocial behaviour
what characteristics do people have that make them more likely to offend?
13x more likely to have been in care
10x more likely to have been a truant
2.5x more likely to have a convict family member
more likely to be illiterate
more likely to suffer with substance abuse
why is stopping hard?
3 criteria found
criminogenic traits
ciminogenic background
criminogenic environments
why is stopping hard?
criminogenic traits
consistent personality traits among all offenders e.g. rebelliousness
why is stopping hard?
criminogenic background
grew up on areas considered dangerous
single parents/care-homes
poverty/left school early
abuse/drugs
why is stopping hard?
criminogenic environments
lack of employment
lack of school
two types of desistance
primary
secondary
what is primary desistance
a termination event, a period of stopping from offending
if someone breaks their leg they cannot reoffend
what is secondary desistance
change in identity in some way.
Sustained pattern of desisting because of this change in identity
what are the 4 theoretical perspectives of desistance
ontogenetic theories
sociogenic theories
narrative/identity theories
integrated theories
theoretical perspectives of desistance
ontogenetic theories
“growing out of it”
“age is the only factor which emerges as significant “
theoretical perspectives of desistance
ontogenetic theories
2 disadvantages
correlation does not mean causation
age doesn’t necessarily mean no crime.
theoretical perspectives of desistance
sociogenic theories
“social aspects are good”
Irwin 1970, “a good job, a good relationship, pro-social hobbies”
Link with age- as you age, different social aspects become important
theoretical perspectives of desistance
Narrative theories
“self identity”
look at life histories and how you make sense of your lives
However, offenders often see their lives as being written for them and they are condemned to live their life that way (condemnation script) they offend due to structural reasons “i didn’t have a choice”
theoretical perspectives of desistance
narrative theories
instead of having a condemnation script, treatment tries to encourage a ‘redemption’ script’ they find goodness of themselves and take ownership. They break out of the cycle and become who they were ‘always meant to be’
what is generativity
giving something back
generating a legacy that is more positive than what the offender did e.g. children
what is a wounded healer
a previous offender that helps others
create more helpers and creates more of a reintegration process
drawing on other’s experiences
theoretical perspectives of desistance
integrated theories
“social, structural and individual”
grouping of all perspectives would make desistance
theoretical perspectives of desistance
integrated theories
cognitive transformation
openness to change
turning point
replacement self
view deviant behaviour in bad light
key points of desistance
desistance is a process-not event about changing identities provoked by life events can be helped by someone condemnation to redemption social and human capital
what is assisted desistance
others can help but no one can rehabilitate you.
there is a distaste toward conventional treatments and rehab approaches
institutions should recognise this reform and design programmes to enhance desistance
de-labelling
destroy labels through a certification process
no de-labelling process
