N AY JT R A N S F O R M I N G Y O U T H J U S T I C E S E M I N A R

2 4 T H J U N E 2 0 1 4

D R S A M K I N GD E PA R T M E N T O F C R I M I N O L O G Y

U N I V E R S I T Y O F L E I C E S T E RS K 5 3 2 @ L E . A C . U K

Supporting Desistance in Youth Justice

What is desistance?

Age/maturity Social bonds

Situated agency Narrative/identity

• Behaviour• Formal compliance• Short-term

Primary

• Identity• Substantive

compliance• Long-term

Secondary

• Belonging• Substantive

compliance• Long-term

Tertiary

Based on Robinson and McNeill, 2008; McNeill, 2014

Key definitional features of desistance

Process, not an event, lapse and relapse are common

It is ‘naturally occurring’, but assisted desistance is possible

Different forms of desistance (primary, secondary, tertiary)

Interactive effects of individual (human capital, agency), society (social bonds, social capital), community (identity, belonging) and CJS (de-labelling)

Why desistance matters for young people

• Avoid labels, categories, classifications• Personal/individual change• Lapse/relapse

Dynamics of change

• Practices for long-term reductions in reoffending

• Support when people are ready to change• Encouragement when people are not yet

ready

Assisted desistanc

e• What outcomes matter• Processes• Joined up

Holistic

Based on Healy, 2010; King, 2013a

Why desistance matters for young people

11-15 yrs3,668,302

16-20 yrs4,005,542

21-24 yrs3,483,414

Sources: T2A, 2012; ONS, 2013

9,691,459

General population

Commencing community sentence

Probation caseload

Of those sentenced to custody

Are, or about to be, fathers

Key messages about why desistance matters for young people

Youth, adolescence, young adulthood, adulthood What do these labels actually mean?

The way we respond to people now impacts on processes of desistance Little wonder lapse and relapse occur?

It is possible to support desistance Aged out or assisted out?

The process of desistance

Offending

Open to change

Perceives lifestyle and situational

context differently

Opportunities to

change – taking action

Relapse

Triggers – e.g. longer sentence, harm caused, external influence etc.

Human and social capital developedEnhanced

social bonding, change in routines, change in peers

Obstacles (breakdown of bonds, temptation, necessity)

Maintenance

Desistance

Adapted from Shapland and Bottoms, 2011

The evidence base

People choose to desist, but certain practices (e.g. arts, learning, relationships, routines) can initiate the choice (needs to be opportunities)

Opportunities come in many forms (education, employment, housing, relationships)

For some this occurs naturally (ageing), for others requires the right balance of maturity and social bonds

Recognition of social bonds changes as individuals mature

Maturity

Maturity is a core, developmental concept which addresses the processes through which a young person achieves the status of adulthood. These developmental processes include the interactions between physical, intellectual, neurological, emotional and social development. Although physical and intellectual development is usually completed during adolescence, for some people emotional and social maturation can continue into the early to mid-twenties. Young adults often differ from each other because of their variable maturity and these differences often show themselves in the ways in which individuals manage the multiple transitions which are associated with the journey to adulthood (University of Birmingham, BCT and T2A, 2013: 2, emphasis added).

Maturity

Responsibility Independence, self-reliance, personal identity

Temperance Evaluate consequences, limit impulsivity, control

aggressive responses

Perspective Consider views of others, understand wider context

within which decisions are made

Source Prior et al, 2011

Maturity and desistance

Sources: Howard League, 2005; Revolving Doors Agency, 2013; Young Minds, 2013

Key messages about maturity and desistance

Desistance depends upon particular interaction of individual and social factors

Can be initiated by life events or prompting by another individual

Involves development of strong personal identity and understanding of social context through human agency and maturity

But, requires social context with opportunities, sense of belonging and a process of certification

Impeding or assisting desistance

Deprivation of libertyDeprivation of

relationshipsCausing harm or

reducing opportunities

Deprivation of identity

Limiting reflexive thinking

Enhancing libertyEncouraging

relationshipsProviding

opportunities or ‘goods’

Enhancing identityAllowing room for

and encouraging reflexive thinking

What should youth justice look like?

Community centres offering ‘one-stop shops’ are known to work well with women and young people who have offended

Is there scope for developing workshops to encourage human agency and maturity?

Are there alternative ways of assessing human agency and maturity?

Is it possible to provide alternative ways of working with young people who are not ready to desist?

References

Healy, D. (2010) The Dynamics of Desistance: Charting Pathways Through Change. Cullompton: Willan. The Howard League (2005) Young, neglected and back: young men in prison. Research briefing 2. London:

The Howard League. King, S. (2013a) ‘Assisted Desistance: Experiences of Probation’ Probation Journal, 60(2): 136-151. King, S. (2013b) Desistance Transitions and the Impact of Probation. Abingdon: Routledge. McNeill, F. (2014) Three aspects of desistance, blog-post based on a short paper prepared for a University

of Sheffield Centre for Criminological Research Knowledge Exchange Seminar at the British Academy in London on 15th May 2014, online at http://blogs.iriss.org.uk/discoveringdesistance/2014/05/23/three-aspects-of-desistance/

ONS (2013) Population Estimates by Age and Sex, online at http://ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/search/index.html?nscl=Population+Estimates+by+Age+and+Sex&nscl-orig=Population+Estimates+by+Age+and+Sex&content-type=Summary&content-type=Video&sortDirection=DESCENDING&sortBy=pubdate

Prior, D., Farrow, K., Hughes, N., Kelly, G., Manders, G., White, S. and Wilkinson, B. (2011) Maturity, young adults and criminal justice: a literature review. University of Birmingham: IASS.

Revolving Doors Agency (2013) First Generation: One Year On, online at http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications/#all

Robinson, G. and McNeill, F. (2008) ‘Exploring the dynamics of compliance with community penalties’ Theoretical Criminology, 12(4): 431-449.

Shapland, J. and Bottoms, A. (2011) Reflections on social values, offending and desistance among young adult recidivists, Punishment and Society, 13(3): 256-291.

T2A (2012) Pathways from Crime, online at http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications/#all University of Birmingham, BCT and T2A (2013) Taking Account of Maturity: A Guide for Probation

Practitioners, online at http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications/#all Young Minds (2013) Same Old… the experiences of young offenders with mental health needs, online at

http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications/#all