Perceived Effect of Incarceration on Profit-driven Criminal Careers

• In Event: Incarceration and the Life Course

Abstract

a) Objective
There are two hypotheses to explain the effect of incarceration on individual trajectories. If prison is deterrent by nature, its essential function is to convince criminals not to re-offend. Numerous studies in criminology do not fail to point out that prison also has its share of perverse effects. By reducing social integration opportunities, through exclusion and stigmatization, incarceration could therefore reinforce the individual’s criminal identity and promote recidivism. It is also important to consider social interactions between criminals within the prison. Through prison, offenders could develop their criminal skills and expand their network to be more effective in crime. This study aims to better understand the impact of incarceration on the life course of offenders, to see whether incarceration is perceived to have a deterrent or a criminogenic effect.

b) Data/Methods
The long-term effect of incarceration is examined through the narrative life story of 27 offenders involved mainly in lucrative crimes.

c) Results
Narrative life story allows to reconstruct the subjective experience behind past events and give access to the meaning attributed to these events, to disentangle the effect of incarceration.

d) Conclusions/Implications.
This study provides insight into the circumstances associated with the various effects associated with incarceration.

Author

• Frédéric Ouellet, Université de Montréal