Calling time on crime: Motivation, generativity and agency in Irish probationers
| Author | Ian O'Donnell,Deirdre Healy |
| Published date | 01 March 2008 |
| Date | 01 March 2008 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0264550507085676 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Calling time on crime: Motivation, generativity
and agency in Irish probationers
Deirdre Healy, University of Sheffield
Ian O’Donnell, University College Dublin
Abstract Why people remain involved in, or detach themselves from, criminal
activity is not fully understood. This article presents the results of an investigation
of psychosocial changes involved in the process of desistance among 73 male
probationers in Dublin, Ireland. The stated desire of the great majority was to
cease offending and their aspirations revolved around finding a job and a place
to live, and stopping drug use. Generative concerns were raised infrequently. There
was little evidence of agency, with few individuals talking of empowerment or self-
mastery. These findings mark an interesting point of contrast with other research
in this area.
Keywords criminal careers, desistance, Ireland, probation
Introduction
That the majority of offenders eventually terminate their criminal careers is a crim-
inological truism. The ‘age-crime curve’ shows that by the age of 28 most have
ceased to be involved in crime (Blumstein and Cohen, 1987). For a long time, this
phenomenon was attributed to maturation or ‘ageing out’ of crime (see Glueck
and Glueck, 1940; Gottfredson and Hirschi, 1990). As Maruna (1999: 1) observed:
‘few phenomena in criminology are as widely acknowledged and as poorly under-
stood as desistance from crime.’ This deficit is being addressed and there is a
burgeoning interest in studying the mechanisms, contexts and individual charac-
teristics that are associated with reducing or stopping offending. This article presents
the results of an Irish study, which aimed to contribute to this nascent area of
inquiry by exploring aspects of desistance among persistent adult offenders.
To date, the social factors implicated in desistance have received the most atten-
tion. One of the best-known models was proposed by Sampson and Laub (1993),
25
Probation Journal
The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
Copyright © 2008 NAPO Vol 55(1): 25–38
DOI: 10.1177/0264550507085676
www.napo.org.uk
http://prb.sagepub.com
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