Desistance Process

The literature presented by Walker and colleagues’ (2014) suggests that the process of desistance among offenders who engage in intimate personal violence is not a quick and simple process; actually it is complex and gradual. Also the literature suggests that this is not a spontaneous occurrence, this can start and stop for a significant amount of time before the actual desistance process truly begins. Further, this process is not the same for any individual; each offender has their own set of circumstances and factors that are associated with their type of violence. This process will not follow a “correct pathway”, it will not go through stages in a progressing way, and there will be failure most often. Also, Walker & colleagues’ (2014) even state that ethnic and cultural factors do in fact need to be address, as it may play a role in the process if desistance. Additionally, there are three elements that comprise the researcher’s conceptual model.

The old way is comprised of the expression, permission, and the triggers of violence. To get from the first phase to the second, there will be many catalysts for change. These catalysts are triggers or anything that can assist the process in moving forward to change and desistance. These can be consequences for one’s violence such as the involvement of the criminal justice system, emotional responses, or fearful reactions. Also, the individual’s lifestyle behaviors are brought into this conceptual framework to aid in the desistance process. The practitioner needs to understand what triggers persistence, and what triggers desistance, and by identifying these components, they can aid the offender is managing their