The Impact of Agency, Self, and Social Control Factors on Desistance from Crime

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

This panel focuses on agency, self, and social factors involved in the desistance process, using both quantitative (i.e., Crank & Brezina, Johnston & Brezina, Abeling-Judge) and qualitative approaches (i.e., Doekhie, van Ginneken, Dirkzwager, & Nieuwbeerta.) Specifically, Crank and Brezina examine how within-individual changes in self-control, social bonds, and other predictors relate to desistance from crime. Relatedly, Johnston and Brezina examine how confidence in one’s ability to desist is related to future offending behavior, along with an examination of factors that are expected to promote or constrain personal agency. In addition, Abeling-Judge uses lagged models to examine how social capital and employment predict offending behavior. Finally, Doekhie, van Ginneken, Dirkzwager, and Nieuwbeerta take a qualitative approach by examining how parole supervision experiences relates to different aspects of the desistance process. This panel is organized by the Division of Developmental and Life Course Criminology.

Sub Unit

• Area III. Perspectives on Crime / 2. Developmental and Life Course Perspectives

Division of Special Interest

• Division Session of Interest / Division of Developmental/Life-Course Criminology

Individual Presentations

• Changes in Self-Control and Desistance from Crime: A Partial Test of Pratt’s Integrated Self-Control/Life-Course Theory of Offending - Beverly Crank, Kennesaw State University; Timothy Brezina, Georgia State University

• Agency, Self-Efficacy, and Desistance from Crime - Tricia Johnston, Georgia State University; Timothy Brezina, Georgia State University

• Social Capital, Social Controls, and Desistance from Crime - David Abeling-Judge, Barton College

• Managing Risk or Supporting Desistance? A Longitudinal Study on the Nature and Perceptions of Parole Supervision in the Netherlands - Jennifer Doekhie, Leiden University; Esther van Ginneken, Leiden University; Anja Dirkzwager, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR); Paul Nieuwbeerta, Leiden University

Discussant

• Laura Abrams, University of California, Los Angeles