Examining the process of offender change: the transition to crime desistance

Abstract

Prior research focusing on crime acquisition and crime desistance has advanced the theoretical understanding of the psychology of crime and overcome many of the practical challenges of crime management. This paper, however, aims to encourage more detailed examination of the process through which offenders transition from crime to desistance. Desistance occurs when external and internal variables align in such a way that an offender with a history of multiple offences ceases all criminal activity. It is argued that systematic examination of behaviour change among offenders will complement current approaches to offender rehabilitation, risk assessment and community supervision. Previous research on crime acquisition, crime desistance and behaviour change are briefly reviewed. In addition, the theoretical assumptions of leading models of rehabilitation are examined. Finally, strategies to further integrate various research findings are discussed and several broad research hypotheses are offered.

Keywords:

• motivation to change
• offender rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation Theory
• Risk-Needs Model
• risk management

Notes

1. The intrapersonal moderators listed in the figure are considered to be theoretically important (i.e. Sampson & Laub, 2005) and are currently being examined in a research project conducted by the authors.

2. Arguably, change can occur without external pressure once an individual is aware that the dissonance between their present state and their desired state has exceeded their subjective threshold (C. Innes, personal communication, 29 January 2008).

3. It could be that all transitions out of crime are effortful, cyclical and erratic, but the need for coherent personal narratives compels many desisting offenders to characterize their transition in terms of instantaneous decision-making or well-defined turning points (D. Polaschek, personal communication, 29 January 2008). Regardless of what mechanisms were involved, all retrospective accounts are likely to be interpreted in the light of present circumstances.