1 Desistance, Rehabilitation and Learning Fergus McNeill University of Glasgow

Desistance Behaviour Primary Identity Secondary Belonging Tertiary

Age and maturation Social bond, ties, relations Identities and narratives Situational aspects How can criminal justice impede or support desistance?

Manage lapses and setbacks Realism Respect subjectivity and diversity Individualisation Build self-determination Hope and agency Social relations and social capital Relationships Language and representation matter Recognition Practical supports Routines

Learning, identity and belonging “Learning can also be viewed as participation in social practice whereby newcomers to a particular community are both absorbing, and being absorbed in, the ‘culture of practice’. From this perspective significant learning is what changes the ability to engage in practice and to understand why it is done, so learning arises out of ‘the inherently socially negotiated character of meaning...in, with, and arising from, the socially and culturally structured world’ (Lave and Wenger 1991: 51). Such learning is not just the acquisition of memories, habits, and skills, but also the formation of an identity through participating in a new practice or community (Wenger, 1998)” (Tett et al., 2012: 181).

Two forms of penal power Negative power (Slicing off) Imposing harms Taking away life Taking away (negative) liberty Taking away time or demanding effort Taking away worth/money Positive power (Grafting in) Requiring goods Life enhancing Developing (positive) liberty Constructive time and work Enhancing worth/Compensating loss 6

7 Personal Reintegration The re-development of the self Capacity building Social Reintegration The re-development of community Collective efficacy and reciprocity Judicial Reintegration Formal de-labeling Certification of learning? Moral Reintegration Learning about and negotiating shared values Building solidarity Learning for Desistance Based on McNeill and Maruna (2010); McNeill (2012) Integration as a positive social good

8 From Ager and Strang (2008)

Prison(er) Learning The duty to promote social goods versus ‘public acceptability’ –Democratic accountability, human rights and the rule of law Prisoner education –Human dignity and human development –Preparation for social citizenship Public education and development –Preparation for collective duties Political education and development 9

Smart Rehabilitation? Outcome-focused –Yes, but process too… and think carefully and creatively about processes and outcomes Joined-up –Absolutely. Rehabilitation depends on it (Repression does not). –A focus on positive social goods helps with joining up. Values-driven –That’s what it is ALL about. Justice. 10

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