NCJ Number
239847
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2012 Pages: 323-332
Date Published
August 2012
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study was used to identify the internal strengths and external forces that help imprisoned sex offenders correct and transform their lifestyles.
Abstract
Based on a positive criminology perspective and a qualitative research design, the current study was used to identify the internal strengths and external forces that help imprisoned sex offenders correct and transform their lifestyles. The participants were 38 men incarcerated in 2 prisons in Israel who had been convicted of various sexual offenses. In individual in-depth, face-to-face interviews, most of the participants reported that they had experienced personal and social changes during their current imprisonment, which they attributed to the support they received from sources both inside and outside the jail, particularly spouses, parents, therapists, and religious or spiritual figures. These supporters expressed their personal and social acceptance of the prisoners, which included features of reintegrative shaming. The research findings suggest that positive changes can be achieved under harsh conditions, such as imprisonment by means of exposure to human strengths, thus supporting the positive criminology approach. This research finding may have theoretical and practical implications for the rehabilitative practice. (Published Abstract)