SUBJECTIVE DESISTANCE AND THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Desistance from crime is a complex process.
• Existing measures often rely on official or self-reported behavior.
• Subjective experiences of change are less frequently incorporated.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce and validate new conceptualizations of desistance: subjective desistance and reference group desistance.
• Compare these novel measures with established behavioral indicators of desistance.
• Examine how different predictors relate to various desistance conceptualizations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data on offending changes informed survey item development.
• Survey items for subjective and reference group desistance were created.
• A representative community sample of young adults was analyzed using these measures and established behavioral ones (arrests, self-reported crime).

Main Results:

• The prevalence and predictors of desistance differ based on the conceptualization used.
• Relationship quality consistently predicts all desistance measures.
• The influence of factors like prior crime, peer networks, race, gender, and parental status varies significantly across different desistance measures.

Conclusions:

• Subjective assessments of moving away from crime provide valuable insights into the desistance process.
• Comparing personal accounts with behavioral data enhances our understanding of desistance.
• This research highlights the multifaceted nature of desistance and the utility of mixed-methods approaches.