Breaking Bad Habits with the Good Book: Religion and Desistance from Crime

• In Event: New Insights from the Roads to Desistance Study: Health, Risk, Religion, Victimization, and Criminal Careers

Abstract

Prior research indicates that religious involvement may uniquely affect offending patterns. Religious beliefs and commitment can influence individuals’ willingness to engage in criminal behavior and may also impact long-term desistance from crime. However, much of the existing research on this topic is cross-sectional. This study aims to explore the role of religion in the desistance process using a mixed-methods analysis of a 7-wave longitudinal contemporary sample of mixed-race and gender recordholders. Findings, policy implications, and directions for future research will be discussed.

Author

• Oona Newman, University at Albany, SUNY