Desistance in transition: from prison to probation supervision

Thesis

Although nearly everyone incarcerated in prison is eventually released into society, prison studies and research on desistance from crime are usually seen as two separate fields within criminology. In the British context, there has been limited scholarly attention given to the connection between individuals’ experiences of imprisonment and their post-release outcomes. This thesis bridges these two areas by examining the resettlement experiences of a small group of men and women moving from open prisons into the community. It explores how structural factors – particularly employment opportunities and family ties – intersect with individual factors, such as identity construction, in the process of desisting from crime.

This study aims to understand the relationship between imprisonment and post-release outcomes by analysing the resettlement and desistance experiences of men and women. By bringing these topics together, it conceptualises desistance as a dynamic and non-linear process shaped by multiple, concurrent transitions that occur both during incarceration and after release, as individuals strive to distance themselves from crime and move towards societal integration.

Drawing on qualitative interviews, the analysis focuses on three key transitional phases in individuals’ lives: the period immediately preceding release from prison, the immediate post-release stage, and the stage approximately eight months after release. These phases form the empirical components of this dissertation.

The thesis is organised around four main empirical chapters. Chapter 4 analyses the relationship between prison work and post-release outcomes. Chapter 5 examines the challenges of resettlement under probation supervision. Chapter 6 conceptualises desistance as a transitional process initiated during imprisonment and maintained after release. Chapter 7 considers how individuals achieved their goals, marking a new start in their lives. The concluding chapter reaffirms the need for resettlement and desistance efforts to foster compassion and support rather than risk surveillance.

Authors: Khan, Z

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-errna8xdr
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English