Reviews: How Offenders Transform Their Lives
| Author | Beth Weaver |
| Published date | 01 September 2010 |
| Date | 01 September 2010 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0264550510373976 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
How Offenders Transform Their Lives
B.M. Veysey, J. Christian and D.J. Martinez
Willan Publishing; 2009; pp 225; £25.99, pbk
ISBN 978–1–84392–508–8
This is a confident,if not ambitious, collection, full of promise
and even a quickglance at the contributorsprovides reassur-
ance that this is not without foundation. The volume com-
prises eleven chapters unified, as the title suggests, by a
collectiveemphasis on the transformative processesof desis-
tance from offending, and with a specificinterest in the pro-
cess of identity change. How Offenders Transform Their Lives presents a series of
nine empirical studies that investigate this theme from the perspectives of offenders
themselves, drawing from primarily qualitative research studies undertaken in the
US, and to a lesserextent the UK, each located in itsparticular theoretical context.The
nine studies are bracketed by an opening chapter by the editors which introduces
the primary concepts explored by the empirical studies including, for example, the
effectsof stigma onthe ability of individualsto negotiate positiveroles andidentities and
thechallenges facedby offendersas they adjust to lifein the communityafter prison.The
concluding chapter by Russ Immarigeon synthesizes the findings from the empirical
studies and forwards a set of policy recommendations emerging from this overview.
How Offenders Transform their Lives is organized into three distinct but
interrelated sections which explore the mechanisms through which identity
transformation is accomplished and the conditions that are required in order for
identity transformation to occur, commencing with an analysis of the nature of
identity transformation (Chapters 1–3); the role of programmes, families and
social support in transformative processes (Chapters 4–8) and how reformed
offenders use their ‘ex’ identity to contribute to the well being of others (Chapters
9–10).
In Chapter 2, Christian, Veysey, Herrschafy and Tubman-Carbone explore
how formerly incarcerated persons identify, and effectively overcome, a number
of significant life challenges, as well as how they sustain ‘meaningful’ changes
The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
Copyright ª2010 NAPO Vol 57(3): 339-348
DOI: 10.1177/0264550510373976
www.napo.org.uk
http://prb.sagepub.com
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