Amputation or Reconstruction?: Notes on the Concept of "Knifing Off" and Desistance From Crime

• NCJ Number: 217615
• Journal: Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 104-124
• Author(s): Shadd Maruna; Kevin Roy
• Date Published: February 2007
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article analyzes the concept and process of “knifing off” and its relation to desistance from crime.

Abstract

The phrase “knifing off” has become common in criminological discussions, yet it remains poorly defined. For the most part, knifing off refers to a process in which individuals change their lives by severing themselves from harmful environments, people, and even the past itself. The authors assert that the concept of knifing off can be useful for understanding crime desistance and self-change. Yet, further refinement and clarification of the knifing off process is necessary for fully developing and employing this concept within the criminological research literature. Toward this end, the authors offer recommendations for developing the concept of knifing off for theories of crime desistance. These recommendations place primary importance on the significance of life scripts for constructing a noncriminal future. It is also necessary to establish whether the knifing off process is causally related to crime desistance. For example, is knifing off necessary or sufficient for crime desistance to occur? Finally, tentative conclusions are offered regarding the developing of knifing off as a criminological concept: (1) knifing off opportunities need to be addressed rather than unspecified concepts related to the past and to circumstances; (2) knifing off may be understood as occurring on a spectrum; (3) the term knifing off should be reserved for extreme structural and social impediments; (4) knifing off should be understood as only one of a number of self-change processes; (5) knifing off alone is not a sufficient explanation for behavioral change; and (6) knifing off works best when accompanied by clear scripts for a noncriminal future. Future research should examine the concept of “script for the future” and the process of developing a future script. Figure, note, references