A Qualitative Analysis of Different Desister Types Among Trained Experts by Experience

Previous studies have shown that a large proportion of released people will return to prison and that desistance from crime, or disengaging from a criminal lifestyle, is a lengthy process. The study explores the process of desisting from crime and reintegrating into society among people with a history of crime and substance abuse who have undergone an expert-by-experience training programme. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 20) and analysed by using typology. The results were interpreted by a team consisting of three academic researchers and one experiential researcher. The data were classified into four different desister types that represent the entire data. The results indicate that expert-by-experience training and one’s role as an expert by experience may promote the employment and social integration of people with a history of crime and substance abuse, but the processes are different for everyone. It is important to continue to identify and eliminate structural barriers that may impede the ability of individuals to engage in work and integrate into society.