The Transition Towards Desistance from Crime Among Serious Juvenile Offenders: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Serious juvenile offenders present high recidivism rates. Much research focus on the processes of desistance from crime in adult populations. However, much less is known about the processes of desistance of adolescents. This scoping review aimed to map available knowledge regarding processes of desistance from crime among serious juvenile offenders. Twenty-six quantitative and qualitative studies were analysed. Results indicate that individual, relational, and structural factors can either facilitate or hinder adolescents’ attempts to move away from crime. During this transitional period, the role of case workers in assisting desistance appears to be essential.

IMPLICATIONS

• A better understanding of how adolescent offenders come to move away from crime is essential to develop more humane and effective practices.

• Social workers can play a key role in assisting offenders to identify their strengths and goals for the future in order to help them gradually retake control of their life and become the person they aspire to be.

严重的少年犯多为惯犯。关于成年人犯罪的中止过程，有很多研究，而人们对于青少年的这个过程则知之甚少。本文为范围综述，意在对有关青少年犯罪中止过程的知识做一梳理。作者分析了26项定量和定性研究。作者认为，个体、关系以及结构的因素都可能有利于或有碍于青少年摆脱犯罪的努力。在这一过渡期，个案工作者帮助中止犯罪的作用尤为重要。

KEYWORDS:

• Desistance From Crime
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Primary Desistance
• Secondary Desistance

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a doctoral research grant from Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) and Centre de recherche universitaire sur les jeunes et les familles (CRUJeF).