2025/02/01 by Shadd Maruna · 30 citations
Health Professions · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Aesthetics #Art #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Criminology #Homelessness and Social Issues #Movement (music) #Psychology #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1111/1745-9125.12393
published in Criminology 63(1), 5-25 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2025/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Abstract Early desistance research identified a key role for redemption scripts in the process of desisting from crime. This research emerged in an incredibly punitive environment at the turn of the century, when core beliefs about human redeemability were being challenged by popular and academic theories about incorrigible predators incapable of change. Desistance research made a profound impact, inspiring academic scholarship and changes to the policy and practice of reintegration. However, desistance research can also be accused of numerous crimes, as well, ranging from the adoption of an overly individualistic framing to the usurpation of the voices of research contributors. Fortunately, redemption is possible. A new generation of desistance theory and research now explicitly addresses the political and cultural factors impacting the desistance process and proposes that these hardened prejudices will only be changed by supporting a social movement led by and for system‐impacted people. With their proven ability to inspire hope and promote action, redemption scripts may, again, be a key tool in such a movement.