‘An inside job’: An autobiographical account of desistance
| Author | Deirdre Healy,Wayne Hart |
| DOI | 10.1177/2066220318783426 |
| Published date | 01 August 2018 |
| Date | 01 August 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Original Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/2066220318783426
European Journal of Probation
2018, Vol. 10(2) 103 –119
© The Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/2066220318783426
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‘An inside job’: An
autobiographical account
of desistance
Wayne Hart
University College Dublin, Ireland
Deirdre Healy
University College Dublin, Ireland
Abstract
Various theories have been put forward to explain the processes underpinning
desistance from crime. To provide additional insights into this phenomenon, this article
presents an autobiographical account of one man’s journey towards a crime-free life. The
narrative reveals a change process that is at once personal and universal, and describes
the external forces that shaped his pathway to desistance as well as his experiences of
personal fortitude and agency. In addition, it highlights the role of probation supervision
as a catalyst for change. The autobiographical account is accompanied by a reflective
academic commentary that situates these personal life experiences within the wider
desistance literature. While the reader may view the autobiographical tone of this
article as subjective, it should be noted that the account is not simply a re-telling of an
individual life story but offers a critical appraisal of existing knowledge viewed through
the lens of one person’s journey towards desistance.
Keywords
autobiography, desistance, persistence, age-graded theory of informal social control,
cognitive transformation, Ireland
Introduction
This article presents an autobiographical account of the lead author’s journey into and
out of crime, which highlights in particular the roles played by structure, agency and
probation supervision in the transition from ‘offender’ to ‘law-abiding citizen.’ As an
Corresponding author:
Deirdre Healy, UCD Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Sutherland School of Law, University
College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Email: deirdre.healy@ucd.ie
783426EJP0010.1177/2066220318783426European Journal of ProbationHart and Healy
2018
Original Article
104 European Journal of Probation 10(2)
ex-offender and graduate of an MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice programme, the
lead author is well-placed to explore pathways to desistance from a dual-perspective, and
draws on his lived experiences and academic knowledge to find meaning in – and impose
form on – his life story. As will be shown, the autobiographical account is consistent to
some extent with informal social control (Laub and Sampson, 2003) and cognitive trans-
formation (Giordano et al., 2002) theory. However, certain aspects of the narrative do not
fit neatly with either perspective, raising interesting questions for both academics and
practitioners. The account is accompanied by an academic commentary, written by the
second author (with input from the lead author), which provides a critical reflection on
the implications of the findings for desistance theory as well as a consideration of the
lessons for criminal justice professionals, particularly those involved in probation work.
The article was inspired by the work of Weaver and Weaver (2013: 260), who cri-
tiqued the criminological community for failing to publish complete offender narratives,
and concluded ‘offenders’ words have been fragmented, lifted out of context, trimmed to
support particular criminological theories or policy initiatives […] in ways that make
nonsense of taking offender perspectives seriously.’ Despite the prominence of narrative
methods in desistance research, unbroken narratives and single case studies are rarely
published, owing to a perception that such accounts are unscientific. Yet, Weaver and
Weaver (2013) argue that individual human stories can contribute to desistance theory
and practice in important ways. For instance, autobiographical accounts tend to evoke
more sympathy, compassion and understanding than research using traditional scientific
methods. In addition, they reveal the complexity, uniqueness and contingent nature of
desistance that may inspire the development of more sophisticated theories and prac-
tices. Gadd and Jefferson (2007) further highlight the value of the individual case study
to criminological research, noting its potential to humanise the offender, enhance under-
standing of the causes of crime (and desistance), shed light on to the reasons why people
behave in particular ways, and focus attention on atypical as well as typical experiences.
Most importantly, unbroken narratives reveal the messy, complex and often contradic-
tory reality of human existence.
Weaver (2013a) has begun to address this gap in the literature by publishing a collec-
tion of 38 uncensored autobiographical accounts in a special guest-edited issue of the
EuroVista journal. The special issue created a space for marginalised voices to be heard
and taken seriously, and enabled scholars to engage with desisters as collaborators rather
than as research subjects. In this regard, Weaver’s (2013a) approach resonates with the
tradition of convict criminology, which aims to authentically represent offenders’ lived
experiences, correct misconceptions about crime and criminal justice, and formulate
policy and practice recommendations (Ross and Richards, 2003). Presser and Sandberg
(2015: 4) argue that a reciprocal relationship exists between narrative and experience
such that ‘narratives produce experience even as experience produces narratives.’ In
other words, the act of telling a story can influence an individual’s pathway to desistance,
facilitating identity change by enabling people to distance themselves from unwanted
past selves and commit to desired future selves (Vaughan, 2007). It is hoped that the cur-
rent article will contribute to this field by presenting an autobiographical account of
desistance within the Irish context. Before beginning, a brief discussion of relevant
desistance theories is provided in order to contextualise the narrative account.
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