Negotiating bereavement and loss: Influencing persistence and desistance from crime
| Author | Natalie Rutter |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211016848 |
| Published date | 01 November 2022 |
| Date | 01 November 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211016848
Criminology & Criminal Justice
2022, Vol. 22(5) 755 –773
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/17488958211016848
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Negotiating bereavement and
loss: Influencing persistence
and desistance from crime
Natalie Rutter
Leeds Trinity University, UK
Abstract
Much previous research has considered experiences of bereavement and loss in a prison-
based setting. This overshadows the nature of bereavement within the context of community
supervision and probation delivery, resulting in inadequate explorations of the potential link to
persistence and/or desistance from crime. Research into desistance has predominantly focused
on relationships with those who are still alive. This article evidences an emergent theme of
bereavement experiences within the context of probation delivery, relationships and desistance.
It draws upon narrative research undertaken within a Community Rehabilitation Company in the
north of England, collected as part of a doctoral thesis. Evidence demonstrates the similarities
between the process of desistance and that of bereavement with the narratives of men and
women reiterating how bereavement can influence the onset of criminal or risk-taking behaviour
whilst highlighting emergent evidence on how bereavement can disrupt desistance. This enables
the article to highlight the importance of resilience in the process of both bereavement
and desistance.
Keywords
Bereavement, desistance, loss, persistence, relationships
Introduction
Bereavement, and loss, is experienced by all of us, with different responses and effects.
However, the impact of bereavement on reoffending and desistance has gained limited
attention within the criminal justice system (Vaswani and Gillon, 2019), and when con-
sidered the focus is often within a prison-based environment. Therefore, understanding
and knowledge of individual experiences of bereavement, and loss, within community
Corresponding author:
Natalie Rutter, Leeds Trinity University, Leeds LS18 5HD, UK.
Email: n.rutter@leedstrinity.ac.uk; @CrimNatt
1016848CRJ0010.1177/17488958211016848Criminology & Criminal JusticeRutter
research-article2021
Article
756 Criminology & Criminal Justice 22(5)
supervision and the potential links to reoffending and/or desistance from crime are lim-
ited. In addition, previous research into desistance has focused on relationships with
those who are still living. This article therefore provides vital and original insight
achieved through in-depth narratives where experiences of bereavement emerged as an
influencing theme within wider doctoral research focused on relational networks and
desistance. As previous research into desistance has focused on male perspectives and
experiences, this article offers an important integration of knowledge across gender to
create a stronger understanding of desistance. In addition, narratives evidence the simi-
larities between the process of desistance and that of bereavement. The article develops
our knowledge and understanding of tertiary and relational desistance, with the former
recognising the importance of an individual’s sense of belonging (McNeill, 2016) and
the latter considering how change is recognised by others (Nugent and Schinkel, 2016).
Each highlights the fundamental role of relationships, but does not consider how this can
be influenced through experiences of bereavement. Narratives reiterate how bereave-
ment can influence the onset of criminal and/or risk-taking behaviour and highlight how
bereavement can disrupt desistance. They highlight the trauma, emotion and attachment
surrounding relationships with deceased individuals and also the ripple effect of bereave-
ment when considering the wider impact of additional supportive relationships. Finally,
the article draws upon narratives to evidence the importance of developing resilience to
support both desistance and experiences of bereavement.
Relationships and desistance: Exploring emotion and
attachment, bereavement and loss
Theories of desistance are well established within criminological literature, when consid-
ering explorations of how and why individuals move away from offending behaviour.
When recognising the individual desistance research highlights maturational theories
(Gottfredson and Hirschi, 1990), internal motivations (Giordano, 2010), changing identi-
ties (Maruna, 2001), the recognition of a possible self (Paternoster and Bushway, 2009)
and the role of personal agency (Laub and Sampson, 2003). This resonates with existen-
tial sociological and criminological thought which explores how individuals make sense
of themselves (Farrall, 2009) in their search for a meaningful identity (Manning, 1973).
Structurally, desistance literature recognises strong social bonds (Sampson and Laub,
1993), the influence of social capital (McNeill, 2009) and the importance of structural
‘hooks’ such as employment or marriage (Giordano et al., 2002). These individual and
structural infleunces are drawn together through an interactionist perspective of desist-
ance which identifies the interplay between an individual and their wider social and struc-
tural circumstances (Carlsson, 2016). It is therefore fundamental desistance is understood
within relational, cultural and structural contexts (Weaver, 2019), and for women there is
also a recognition of harm, vulnerability and victimisation (Rutter and Barr, 2021).
Desistance is commonly recognised as a process (Maruna, 2001) summarised within
literature as primary, secondary or tertiary. Primary considers short-term crime-free peri-
ods (Maruna and Farrall, 2003) and a change in behaviour; secondary focuses on how
individuals assume roles as a non-offender (Maruna and Farrall, 2003) and evidences a
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