European projects
Offender Supervision in Europe. Founded by: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (ISCH COST Action IS1106). Duration: 1/01/2012 to 31/12/2015. Researchers: Fergus McNeill (PI); Spanish coordinators: Josep Cid (UAB) and Elena Larrauri (UPF).
The funding for this COST Action (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) is linked to the Working Group on Community Sanctions of the European Society of Criminology of which many of the members of the group are part of it. The project “Offender supervision in Europe” is based on the study of systems of supervision of offenders in the community (community sanctions) and the execution of prison sentences in an open environment. Fifty researchers from fourteen different European countries were involved. The cooperation between researchers of many European countries has produced several books, such as Offender Supervision in Europe (McNeill & Beyens, 2013) and The Enforcement of Offender Supervision in Europe (Boone & McGuire, 2018).
State projects
Family: Desistance and Recidivism (FADER) (RTI2018- 097085-B). Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Duration: 1/01/2019 a 31/12/2021. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Jenny Cubells, Anna Meléndez, Carmen Navarro.
The research project “Family: desistance and recidivism” (FADER) aims to contribute to the knowledge of the role that the family can play in the processes of abandonment and persistence in the criminal career. The issue is relevant for a family-oriented society such as Spain’s, in which people’s well-being depends largely on the support they receive from the family and fits into one of the challenges of the national plan as it seeks to contribute to the improvement of reintegration processes. Scientific research has shown, on the one hand, that family support is a source of desistance, by reducing the tension of incarceration and generating processes of cognitive transformation to compensate for the support received. But, on the other hand, it has also highlighted that family conflict is an important causal factor of recidivism. Faced with this state of the art, it is important to know under what conditions support generates desistance or, on the contrary, is a source of conflict and recidivism. To this end and based on the basic research carried out in the Incarceration and Recidivism project, 19 family dynamics have been analysed, based on semi-structured interviews with 19 people who had experienced a prison sentence and 19 family members who had played an accompanying role during incarceration in the return to the community. The results of the research show that family support only contributes to desistance when it interacts with a motivation for change generated within the framework of prison intervention. Conversely, when this support is provided to a person who has strong criminogenic needs (such as drug use), research shows that this situation can lead to conflict and thus recidivism. The implications of the research highlight the importance of involving families in the reintegration process, when they so choose, but assuming that this participation can only be useful in fostering desistance if the administration takes responsibility for addressing criminogenic needs. At the same time, the families, who have incarcerated people, must be assisted to relieve their tension and so that they can play their role of helping them reintegrate. Finally, it should not be forgotten that the community can also contribute to reintegration when it favours the integration of a person who has been released from prison, and that for this purpose a narrative of reintegration of people released from prison must also be promoted.
EmpiriC – Development of a criminological and empirical model of criminal policy (DER2017-90552-REDT). Funded by: Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. Duration: 1/06/2018 to 31/06/2020. Researchers: Elena Larrauri (PI), Ana Isabel Cerezo, José Cid, José Luís de la Cuesta, Esther Fernández, Fernando Miró.
The aim of the EmpiriC network of excellence was to advise the government and other entities in crime prevention, legislative decision-making related to criminal matters, and the execution of penalties, including penitentiary and alternative measures. The network aimed to unite the main groups conducting criminological research in Spain with the goal of improving our criminal policies. It prioritized the development of practical implications based on research and facilitated the incorporation of empirical knowledge into criminal policy. By uniting the efforts of Spanish research groups working on these topics, a common objective was established, and greater strength was achieved to establish collaboration with the public sector responsible for designing and implementing criminal policies as an essential part of the knowledge transfer inherent to these groups. The network was coordinated by Dr. Elena Larrauri from Universitat Pompeu Fabra and included the participation of Dr. José Luis de la Cuesta from Universidad del País Vasco, Dr. Fernando Miró from Universitat Miguel Hernández, Dr. Ana Isabel Cerezo from Universidad de Málaga, Dr. Esther Fernández Molina from Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, and Dr. Josep Cid from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The network has published two books: Delincuencia y Justicia juvenil en España. ¿Qué Sabemos? (Fernández-Molina y Bartolomé, 2019) and Política Criminal y Exclusión Social (Cerezo, 2021).
Imprisonment and Recidivism (DER2014-55315-P). Funded by: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Duration: 1/05/2015 to 31/12/2018. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Constanza Busquets, Jenny Cubells, Esther De la Encarnación Elena Garrido, Aina Ibàñez, Joel Martí, Anna Meléndez, Carmen Navarro, Albert Pedrosa.
The aim of the “Incarceration and Recidivism” project is to find out to what extent the experience of incarceration contributes (in a positive sense) to the process of desisting from delinquency and to what extent it contributes (in a negative sense) to promoting recidivism. To this end, a representative sample of people who have served a prison sentence in the autonomous community of Catalonia (n=538) has been obtained. These people have been administered a questionnaire about their experience of incarceration at the end of their sentence and have been followed up for 24 months in freedom to learn about their reintegration process. During the follow-up period, 59 people were re-imprisoned for a new case, representing 13.4% of the people in the sample. A survival analysis has been carried out to determine the factors that explain relapse into crime and its relationship with the experience of incarceration. Of the three dimensions of incarceration analysed – the hardship experienced during sentencing, participation in treatment and the social support received – the only relevant dimension is that relating to hardship. Specifically, the fact of serving the full sentence – with no staggered release from the third degree or probation – significantly increases the probability of recidivism. In addition to the experience of incarceration, pre-conviction drug use significantly increases the likelihood of recidivism. Along with the quantitative study, a qualitative study has been carried out – conducting a follow-up interview with 37 people in the sample – which has shown that the recidivism process is predominantly linked to experiencing conflict in the family environment on the way out of prison by people who abuse drugs. The main implications of the research for public reintegration policies are to intervene preferably in terms of social support and treatment with those people who are more socially disadvantaged – and who may have a greater tendency to drug use and suffer more hardship in the sentence – so that they can address drug problems, acquire conflict resolution skills and improve the chances of a successful reentry.
Explanatory factors for desistance and obstacles to reintegration. (DER2011-29229-C02-01/JURI). Duration: 1/01/2012 to 31/12/2014. Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Marcelo Aebi, Eugenia Albani, Ester Blay, Maria Contreras, Jenny Cubells, Elena Garrido, Aina Ibàñez, Elena Larrauri, Joel Martí, Marti Rovira, Beatriz Tébar.
This project brings two lines of research linked to withdrawal and reintegration. The first line -carried out by researchers from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona- is aimed at understanding the processes of withdrawal and recidivism of young people who go through juvenile justice. The research, longitudinal and prospective, is based on a sample of 107 young people who have been subjected to a detention or probation measure in the Catalan juvenile justice system. These young people were followed in three waves. The instruments of analysis were several: an analysis of personal network, a survey of personal attitudes and a interview, all this with administrative data derived from their police and juvenile justice records. To carry out the analysis, a typology of personal networks was constructed, considering both their composition and structure and for each profile, an attempt was made to identify the factors and processes that lead to withdrawal and the interpretation given to it by the actors. The main result is that, depending on the characteristics of the personal network, strong and weak bonds play a different role in understanding the process of withdrawal. The main results can be found in Martí, J., Albani, E., Ibàñez, A., & Cid, J. (2021). Personal networks and desistance from crime in young offenders. European Journal of Criminology, 18(2), 235-253. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370819842207
The second line has been developed by researchers at Universidad Pompeu Fabra and aims to analyse the obstacles to reintegration posed by having a criminal record. About this line, see the different works of Professor Elena Larrauri, including: Larrauri, E. & Jacobs, J. (2011). Reinserción laboral y antecedentes penales. Revista Electrónica de Ciencia Penal y Criminología núm. 13-09, 1-25 and the PH’D of Martí Rovira on Criminal Record and Labour Market : M. Rovira, Antecedentes Penales y Mercado Laboral. Universidad Pompeu Fabra [Tesis doctoral]. https://www.tdx.cat/handle/10803/392632#page=1
Policies for reintegration for the criminal justice system. Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (DER2008-05041/JURI). Duration: 1/01/2009 to 31/12/2011. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Marcelo F. Aebi, Lorena Antón, Maria Contreras, Joel Martí, Carmen Navarro, Beatriz Tébar.
Within the framework of this research project, were developed several penological lines linked to reinsertion: criminal records and reinsertion (Elena Larrauri), alternative sentences to prison and gender (Lorena Antón, Ester Blay, Elena Larrauri), parole (Beatriz Tébar).
Regarding the research carried out at the UAB, this project was the starting point for research into withdrawal, led by José Cid and Joel Martí. During the development of this project, research was carried out on the desistance of incarcerated people. 67 men at the end of their sentence who were serving sentences for property crimes and drug trafficking were interview. It was searched to have a rich sample of people with persistent narratives and proceeded to analyse the differences between these narratives and their aetiology. The work shows the importance of family support in the development of desistance narrative and elaborate the concept of “returning points”, understood as the willingness to undertake a process of change as compensation for the support received. The main contribution of this research project is: Cid, J., & Martí, J. (2012). Turning points and returning points: Understanding the role of family ties in the process of desistance. European Journal of Criminology, 9(6), 603-620. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370812453102
The credibility of alternative penalties. Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (SEJ2005-08955-C02-01). Duration: de 1/09/2005 to 31/12/2008. Researchers: Elena Larrauri (PI), Lorena Antón, Ester Blay, Josep Cid, Gonzalo Escobar, Daniel Varona.
This project was undertaken with the aim of providing a punitive response that could offer protection to the victim while also promoting the rehabilitation of the offender, without resorting to a prison sentence. The research focused on examining the effectiveness of alternative penalties to imprisonment in achieving the goals of incapacitation (thereby reducing crime) and facilitating the rehabilitation of the offender while ensuring the protection of the victim. As a result of this project the book “La elección del castigo. Suspensión de la pena o probation versus prisión” (Cid, 2008), was published.
Victim protection and rehabilitation of offenders in Liberty. Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (BJU2001-2075). Duration: 1/09/2001 to 1/09/2004. Researchers: Elena Larrauri (PI), Manuel Jesús Cachón, Josep Cid, José Carlos González, Carmen Navarro.
The primary objective of this project was to generate empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based programs as alternative sentencing options, specifically in the areas of domestic violence, sexual violence, and racist violence. The project aimed to identify the most effective policies in terms of preventing recidivism among offenders who received alternative sentences to imprisonment. Additionally, the research analysed various international programs designed to rehabilitate domestic and sexual offenders and assessed their ability to ensure victim protection within the context of suspended imprisonment or probation. The outcomes of this project included the publication of the book “Delincuencia violenta, ¿prevenir, castigar o rehabilitar?” by Tirant lo Blanch in 2005, among others.
Reducing prison use and alternatives to prison. Funded by: Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (SEC98-0507). Duration: 1/09/1998 to 1/09/2001. Researchers: Elena Larrauri (PI), Manuel Jesús Cachón, Josep Cid, Juan Gonzalo Escobar, José Carlos González, Carmen Navarro, Pedro Ruiz.
This project was initiated with the primary objective of examining the discretionary practices of criminal judges when it comes to the application of alternative sentences instead of imprisonment. The motivation behind conducting this study stemmed from the observed disproportionate increase in the incarcerated population. Therefore, the study aimed to accomplish two objectives: firstly, from a theoretical standpoint, to investigate the factors contributing to this rise by comparing it with the experiences of neighbouring countries that propose alternative sentencing as a means of reducing the use of imprisonment. Secondly, from an empirical perspective, the goal was to analyze the implementation of the sentences outlined in the 1995 Penal Code. With this objective in mind, a research project was carried out in the criminal courts of Barcelona. A representative sample of sentences pronounced by the criminal courts of Barcelona in 1998 was taken. The sentences imposed on 1418 offenders were analysed. The study found that there was widespread use of suspended sentences when the offender had no previous convictions, but the use of alternative sentences when the offender had a criminal record – special suspension for drug addicts and substitution – was more exceptional. The main publication that served as the foundation for this project is “Jueces penales y penas en España,” published by Tirant lo Blanch in 2002.
Decriminalization: collective goods, patrimony and honour. Funded by: Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (PB94-0666). Duration: 1/08/1995 to 1/08/1998. Researchers: Elena Larrauri (PI), Manuel Jesús Cachón, Josep Cid, Juan Gonzalo Escobar, Carmen Navarro, Daniel Varona.
The primary objective of this project, which marked the inaugural endeavor of the research group, was to examine the feasibility of decriminalizing specific offenses related to collective property, heritage, and honor. The study accomplished this by analyzing the experiences of other countries that employed alternative legal measures or penalties as a means of safeguarding certain assets without resorting to criminal law. These alternatives were encompassed within the framework of the 1995 Criminal Code. The outcome of this project culminated in the publication of the book “Penas alternativas a la prisión,” published by Bosch in 1997.
Regional projects
“La Caixa” foundation projects
The transition from prison to community: an experimental programme for the social reintegration of former prisoners. Funded by: RecerCaixa 2014 (2014-ACUP-00089). Duration: 28/02/2015 to 28/02/2018. Researchers Josep Cid (IP), Antonio Andrés Pueyo (IP), Manel Cadevila, Marta Ferrer, Aina Ibàñez, Santiago Redondo.
The research project emerged from the concern that our prison system had limited provisions for the reintegration of individuals who completed their prison sentences and were at higher risk of recidivism. While the staggered release process, involving open regime and parole, showed promising results, it only applied to a portion of the incarcerated population. This situation prompted the central question of the research: Is it feasible to transition towards a system where every person released from prison would have a community reintegration plan? The project introduced two innovations: firstly, an experimental design was employed, implementing a reintegration assistance plan for one group of individuals, and comparing the outcomes with a control group; secondly, community participation was fostered, involving third-sector organizations and volunteers in the execution of the experimental plan. The research aimed to provide insights to support a reasoned decision on whether a universal reintegration system was necessary, while also shedding light on the key factors of successful reintegration. The research was carried out with a sample of 204 people, 86 mentored and 118 collaborators. The results of the research indicate that the mentors adequately delivered the planned programme and a significant proportion of them succeeded in getting people to complete the mentoring programme. The programme has been evaluated both through various surveys given to participants during the programme and through a recidivism study. The final result, which will be published shortly, indicates that the programme was successful with those who completed the programme and who were not at high risk of recidivism.
Presentation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBJKOOU4gQc
Explanatory factors of the desistance from criminal careers of young people in the transition to adult life (2011-ACUP-00104). Duration: 1/01/2012 to 31/12/2013. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Eugenia Albani, Jenny Cubells, María Contreras, Anna Meléndez.
This research aimed to explore the processes of desistance and recidivism among young individuals involved in the juvenile justice system. It employed a longitudinal and prospective approach, utilizing a sample of 107 young people who had experienced detention or probation measures within the Catalan juvenile justice system. These individuals were followed over three waves of data collection. Multiple instruments were employed for analysis, including an examination of personal networks, a questionnaire measuring personal attitudes, and narrative interviews. Additionally, administrative data obtained from police and juvenile justice records were incorporated. To analyze the data, a typology of personal networks was developed, considering both their composition and structure. Within each network profile, efforts were made to identify the factors and processes contributing to desistance, as well as the actors’ interpretations of it. The primary finding of the research was that the role of strong and weak ties varied depending on the characteristics of the personal network, influencing the understanding of the desistance process.
Centre for Legal Studies and Specialized Training (CEJFE) projects
Open regime and resettlement: how open regime became a turning point in the lives of former prisoners. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2023 a 31/12/2023. Researchers: Josep Cid, Esther De la Encarnación.
With this research, the aim is to analyse third-degree supervision in Catalonia using a qualitative methodology that would involve the experiences of both users and rehabilitation officers. Ultimately, the main objective is to help understand why open regime a meaningful experience for individuals serving prison sentences. This research aims to highlight supervision practices that may be less known and improve the perception of this type of supervision in the future. Additionally, we seek to promote its acceptance as a normal part of the transition to life in freedom within the criminal justice system.
From the results and the analysis, three main conclusions can be drawn. The first conclusion is that in the open regime and parole two styles of supervision coexist: one is more distant and focused on the fulfilment of the sentence and the other is closer and focused on the support and the bond to the inmate. The second one, relating to the elements of semi-freedom compliance that contribute to these measures becoming a turning point, two of them stand out: the vigilance and the social support. The last one, derived from the results, is that the 3rd grade and the probation have a positive impact in the person’s careers because the supervision is focus on employability, vigilance and the construction of a working alliance.
The results show the need to keep doing research in this field to identify those elements of the open regime and parole because this already work and those elements that need to be reviewed or reinforced so these measures can become real turning points in the person’s careers of the former inmate.
Supervision of offenders in the community: the challenge of effectiveness. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2022 a 31/12/2022. Researchers: Carmen Navarro (PI), Constanza Busquets, Josep Cid, Anna Meléndez, Judit Xufré.
This research analyses the effectiveness of alternative measures to imprisonment, specially the Community Services. It is important to research about these measures because there is a tendency for these sanctions to play an increasingly important role to confront medium crimes. The aim of the research is to find out the factors that explain why Community Service can be a significant experience for its users, getting them to fulfil the obligations of the measure, abstain from criminal behaviour, assume a desistent identity and reintegrate into society while serving the measure. The hypothesis is that the fulfilment of these objectives depends on the fact that supervisors stick to the Core Correctional Practice. These, tell that the measure will be effective when the supervisor uses authority effectively, is a pro-social role model for the user, acts as a problem solver, uses community resources effectively and establishes a quality relationship with the user. In order to test this hypothesis, a research has been carried out with a sample of 149 people who have completed a Community Service measure during 2022. The participants have answered a questionnaire in which the essential part consists in verifying the participants’ perception of the supervisor’s use of the Core Correctional Practice. The results show that when the supervisor stick to the Core Correctional Practice and specially, when they use the authority fairly and they are a pro-social role model for the offender, then the objectives of the measure are better achieved.
Final research report:
The Family as Catalyst for Social Change. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2019 to 31/12/2019. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Esther De la Encarnación, Aina Ibàñez, Albert Pedrosa.
The family of the incarcerated person has a fundamental importance during the period of imprisonment and in the transition to the community. But given the difficulties faced during the prison sentence, the stresses of release and the person’s motivation for change, the role of the family will not always be the same. The aim of this work is to explore how family support is provided and managed and how the family can contribute to two totally contradictory processes with very different results: encouraging withdrawal or influencing recidivism. Through the exploration of family support, the tension experienced in the family nucleus and the appearance of conflict, the aim is to identify the elements that intervene in the withdrawal and relapse processes. To do so, eight cases with participants who have been in prison and a member of their family who has played an important role in this period were qualitatively analysed through sixteen interviews. The results show that (1) the withdrawal processes are based on interaction between support and motivation for change of participants; (2) motivation for change must happen during the period of imprisonment so that interaction with family support can lead to withdrawal, (3) the accumulation of family and community support helps with withdrawal and; ; (4) when support is linked to the conflict there is recidivism. Three clear implications arise from these results: the need to promote interaction between families and the prison system, the importance of addressing the rehabilitation processes of people with drug dependence to avoid family conflicts that can benefit recidivism and the role of the community as a key agent for the reintegration of those who have been released. Three clear implications emerge from these results: the need to promote interaction between families and the prison system, the importance of addressing the rehabilitation processes of people with drug dependence to avoid family conflicts that may favour recidivism and, finally, the role of the community as a key agent for the reintegration of people released from prison.
Final research report:
The role of families in the reintegration of people released from prison. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2017 to 31/12/2017. Researchers: Aina Ibàñez and Albert Pedrosa.
The research presented here aimed to explore the difficulties families encountered in providing support and favoring the reintegration process once their family members were released from prison. Although many studies had shown how the family had a positive effect on the reintegration of imprisoned people, there was a lack of information on the specific strategies they used and the burdens they entailed. The objectives were to find out how the family units of people leaving prison were and the changes that took place, to explore what kind of support families provided, the strategies they used, and the burdens associated with the reintegration process, and to examine the role of gender in this process. A mixed approach was used, using two different samples: a large sample of quantitative data to contextualize the phenomenon, and a sub-sample of families of interest to carry out in-depth interviews. The results show that people come from disadvantaged contexts that can be extrapolated to their families, that the role of the family as a support provider is central and justified by the conception of the family itself, leading to emotional wear and tear, economic problems and a lack of help (informal and institutional) when providing this support, and that they use strategies to actively promote the reintegration process. At the same time, the genderization of family units has been highlighted, implying that when we talk about families, we actually refer to mothers, couples and daughters. The implications inferred are that families must be viewed as active reintegration agents, provide them with adequate resources to promote this process, highlight the role of women within this family and rethink the model of support based on families.
Final research report: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/worpap/2018/191957/paperFamiliesReinsercio_SPA.pdf
The reintegration of persons who have completed their sentences in the ordinary regime. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2015 to 31/12/2015. Researchers: Josep Cid, Aina Ibàñez.
The research aimed to explore the problem of people who finished their prison sentence without a staggered transition to the community, through the open regime or parole, which, according to the progressive system that inspired our legislation, should have been the normal way of returning to the community. The objective was to find out how our penitentiary system dealt with reintegration in these cases, identify the most effective approaches, and explore feasible actions to improve the reintegration possibilities for these individuals. To achieve this, various groups of professionals involved in facilitating the reintegration process were interviewed, including rehabilitation technicians within the prison system, professionals responsible for designing and implementing treatment and reintegration policies, community organization representatives involved in the process, and oversight bodies. The results, according to the professionals interviewed, provided insights into the perspectives that could influence the reintegration factors for individuals completing their sentence in the ordinary regime—such as the system, the profession, the inmates, and the environment. These findings prompted reflection on how the professionals involved could modify the factors leading to a second-degree release and suggested potential changes to the reintegration model to enhance its flexibility.
Final research report: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/worpap/2016/164855/ESP_reinsercion_condena_regimen_ordinario.pdf
Recall to prison from open regime: Causes and Consequences. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2012 to 31/12/2012. Researchers: Josep Cid and Beatriz Tébar.
The research focused on the prison situation involving individuals regressing from the third degree of treatment to the second degree. The motivation behind this research stemmed from the observation that in Catalonia, the customary completion of sentences for convicted individuals was not through a staggered return to the community (from the third degree or parole), but rather more commonly through the second degree. This reality raised concerns, as scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of a staggered return system for achieving successful reintegration. Based on this premise, the research aimed to assess whether our prison system limited the use of regression and to explore the underlying causes that hindered the resumption of the reintegration process into the community after regression occurred. To conduct the research, the reference population consisted of individuals who regressed to the second degree in Catalonia during the period from July 1 to December 31, 2012, and completed their sentences by the end of 2012. This resulted in a population of 52 individuals, of whom 75% were successfully interviewed after studying their prison records. The research findings indicated that our regression practices were still far from a model that guarantees rehabilitation. The study also identified several factors that contributed to the difficulty of reclaiming the third degree or parole once regressed. Finally, the research provided a set of recommendations or good practices to address these challenges.
Final research report: https://cejfe.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/recerca/cataleg/crono/2013/regresionSegundoGrado_ES.pdf
Longitudinal study on the process of reintegration of imprisoned people. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2011 to 31/12/2011. Researchers: Josep Cid (PI), Eugenia Albani, Aina Ibàñez, Joel Martí.
This research builds upon the previous project titled “The desistance process of incarcerated people: obstacles and supports.” The current study focuses on the trajectory of a subgroup of 36 individuals selected from the original sample of 67. These participants were interviewed between 1 and 2 years after completing their prison sentences, allowing for an examination of their experiences during the reintegration process. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the three most commonly used theories in desistance research: control theory, social support theory, and cognitive transformation theory. By analyzing the data from the sample, the study aims to determine which theory offers the most explanatory power for understanding the processes of desistance and recidivism. The findings indicate that social support theory emerges as the most comprehensive framework for comprehending the transition from prison to the community and the factors influencing desistance.
Final research report: https://cejfe.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/recerca/cataleg/crono/2016/estudi-reinsercio/estudi_longitudinal_proces_reinsercio_cast.pdf
The process of desistance of incarcerated persons. Obstacles and supports. Funded by: Centre for Legal Studies and Specialist Training (CEJFE). Duration: 1/01/2010 to 31/12/2010. Researchers: Josep Cid i Joel Martí.
This research aimed to enhance our understanding of the factors influencing desistance from crime and recidivism, as well as the subjective processes involved. The study focused on the male population convicted for property crimes and/or crimes against public health and aimed to identify narratives of desistance and persistence in criminal behavior. Additionally, the research sought to explore how external factors contribute to the construction of these narratives. These external factors were conceptualized as turning points that could facilitate change and were linked to experiences within the penitentiary institution (e.g., work programs, treatment, daily encounters) as well as the support systems and connections in the community where individuals reintegrated (e.g., employment, family, friendships, neighborhood networks). Furthermore, the study contextualized these transitional processes within the framework of individuals’ past trajectories (including family background, education, employment, criminal history, and prison experiences) and the life phase they found themselves in upon release, as these factors played a significant role in shaping opportunities and the individual’s reference points post-incarceration.
Final research report: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/worpap/2011/132424/prodesper_a2011iSPA.pdf
