Fundaments in the paradigm of desistance

Abstract

The recent decades have been marked by the emergence of the paradigm of desistance in relation with the people in conflict with the penal law. Unlike the traditional criminological approach which aims to study the causes of the offending behaviour, the paradigm of desistance focuses on the factors which lead to quitting the infracting behaviour. In this paper we will systematize the main research conducted in the field of desistance, which captured the importance of a multitude of factors involved in this process. We will also try to show how much the institutions from the correctional sphere (probation, penitentiaries) may get involved in the initiation and support of the desistance process.