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Sexual Crime, Religion and Spirituality pp 53–70Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

How Might Faith Communities Promote Desistance from Sexual Crime? An Exploration of Theory

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Part of the book series: Sexual Crime ((SEXCR))

Abstract

This chapter considers a number of theories that help our understanding of the desistance process for those convicted of sexual offending; in particular, it contemplates how a faith or a religious context might serve as a mechanism to help foster a process of desistance. The chapter first briefly outlines the current rehabilitation landscape highlighting why there is a need to consider informal rehabilitation approaches such as those available in faith communities. Following this, the Good Lives Model (GLM) is presented and serves as a foundation to support the case that a religious context may help promote the desistance process for those convicted of sexual offending. Following this, a range of theories from the desistance literature is also included. In conclusion, when knitted together, GLM and desistance theories are strengthened and support the notion that informal structures (such as religious communities) ought to be capitalised upon and used in conjunction with formal risk management measures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

    Stephanie Kewley

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  1. Stephanie Kewley
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Correspondence to Stephanie Kewley .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Belinda Winder

  2. Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Nicholas Blagden

  3. HMP Whatton, Nottingham, UK

    Kerensa Hocken

  4. Psychology & Counselling, Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, UK

    Helen Elliott

  5. Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Rebecca Lievesley

  6. Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Phil Banyard

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Kewley, S. (2019). How Might Faith Communities Promote Desistance from Sexual Crime? An Exploration of Theory. In: Winder, B., Blagden, N., Hocken, K., Elliott, H., Lievesley, R., Banyard, P. (eds) Sexual Crime, Religion and Spirituality. Sexual Crime. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26040-8_4

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