Correctional Psychology and the Desistance Paradigm

• Author: Andrew Day
• DOI: 10.1177/0093854814550032
• Published date: 01 January 2015
• Date: 01 January 2015
• Subject Matter: Commentary

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2015, Vol. 42, No. 1, January 2015, 121 –124.

DOI: 10.1177/0093854814550032

© 2014 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

121

CORRECTIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND THE

DESISTANCE PARADIGM

Commentary for the Special Issue of Criminal Justice

and Behavior

ANDREW DAY

Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Let me begin this commentary by suggesting that many of the ideas contained in this

special issue will be important to the future of correctional psychology. Although each

of the authors offer different perspectives on the role that the criminal justice system has to

play in the process of desistance from crime, they all identify the importance of a value-

oriented analysis to effective offender rehabilitation. Their focus is on promoting desistance

at all points of the justice process; from how the legal system can promote therapeutic out-

comes through to the provision of post-release support services and the need for community

engagement. By approaching the tasks of both rehabilitation and reintegration from a values

perspective, they have been able to identify a range of novel and innovative approaches that

have the potential to make a real difference. Even more encouragingly, these draw on

resources that may already be available to correctional psychologists and yet are often

underutilized. In addition, the confidence, and indeed the optimism, expressed in these

articles provides a refreshing counter to suggestions that contemporary correctional practice

has become pre-occupied with the need to “manage” offenders and for professionals to

focus on fulfilling their administrative obligations (see Hardy, 2014).

The focus on the values that underpin practice is rather timely. For some years now, our

efforts have been firmly directed toward establishing the strength of evidence that exists to

support specific rehabilitative programs. This has been entirely appropriate, and much has

been achieved. From a time when psychological interventions with offenders were regarded

with mistrust and suspicion, “offending behavior-change” programs have become a corner-

stone of contemporary correctional service delivery. We can be rightly proud of the advances

that have been made in the development and implementation of evidence-based treatments

and the efforts of practitioners and researchers alike to show that our work with offenders

can, and often does, lead to change that is both personally and socially significant (see

Andrews & Bonta, 2010). And yet, the values that guide our practice, and indeed that of the

broader criminal justice system, are not always clearly understood or articulated. Fowers

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Correspondence concerning this commentary should be addressed to Andrew Day,

Deakin University; e-mail: andrew.day@deakin.edu.au.

550032CJBXXX10.1177/0093854814550032Criminal Justice and BehaviorDay / Commentary

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