Women on Parole, Identity Processes, and Primary Desistance. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stone, Rebecca; Morash, Merry; Goodson, Marva; Smith, Sandi; Cobbina, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Feminist criminology. Volume 13:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 382
• Page End: 403
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: women's desistance -- women's reentry -- substance abuse -- parole -- community corrections; Feminist criminology -- Periodicals; Female offenders -- Periodicals; 364.37405
• DOI: 10.1177/1557085116670004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1557-0851

Abstract

The current study employs a prospective mixed-methods design to examine women parolees' identities early in their supervision and the association of their identity development at that point to their record of subsequent arrests. Guided by narrative identity theory, we first conduct quantitative analysis of the relationship between redemption and contamination narratives and subsequent arrests. We then return to the qualitative interview data to search for additional explanatory themes that shed further light on women's identity and desistance from crime. Results indicate that identity verification from parole officers and others increases women's self-esteem and assists them in overcoming barriers to desistance.