Support in custody as a promoter of desistance

• In Event: Factors that Promote or Impede Desistance for Serious, Violent, and Sexual Offenders

Abstract

The breaking down of informal social controls while serving periods of incarceration is a noted barrier to desistance. Access to, and support from, members of the community while incarcerated may be helpful in maintaining attachments. As well, positive experiences in custody may help promote identity changes and cognitive self-transformation. The current study examined these experiences within a sample of adolescents interviewed as part of the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender Study. Involvement in offending through emerging adulthood (age 18-23) was recorded for members of the sample. Semi-parametric group based-modeling was used to identify offending trajectories between ages 12-23. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine the impact of different experiences in custody on being associated with a trajectory characterized by desistance in adolescence. Implications for correctional policy and programming are discussed.

Authors

• Evan C. McCuish, Simon Fraser University

• Patrick Lussier, University of Laval

• Raymond Corrado, Simon Fraser University