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The Desistance Process of Offenders Who Misuse Drugs

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New Perspectives on Desistance

Abstract

Despite the growing amount of desistance studies, the existing knowledge on differences in desistance between types of offenders is still scant. This is especially the case for the desistance process of persons refraining from drugs and an associated recovery from drug misuse. Although much research has focused on the link between drug use and offending, far less attention has been paid to clarify the relationship between recovery from drug misuse and desistance from offending.

In this chapter, the authors focus on the interplay between recovery and desistance, highlighting the relevance of considering differences in desistance for different types of offenders. Findings are reported from the longitudinal, Belgium-based DESDRUG study, which explored the desistance and recovery processes experienced by offenders who misused drugs.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In this chapter we do not focus on gender differences.

  2. 2.

    Two persons were in early-stage recovery at the time of the first interview and evolved to later-stage recovery at the time of the follow-up interview.

  3. 3.

    As indicated by the respondents at the first interview.

  4. 4.

    All quotes have been translated from Dutch to English for the purpose of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Charlotte Colman & Freya Vander Laenen

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  1. Charlotte Colman
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  2. Freya Vander Laenen
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Correspondence to Charlotte Colman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Law School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

    Emily Luise Hart

  2. Institute for Criminal Law & Criminology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Esther F.J.C. van Ginneken

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Colman, C., Vander Laenen, F. (2017). The Desistance Process of Offenders Who Misuse Drugs. In: Hart, E., van Ginneken, E. (eds) New Perspectives on Desistance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95185-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95185-7_4

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