About the Project
This PhD will explore how individuals experience the transitions that shape individual journeys throughout probation supervision, focusing on the social, emotional, and structural transitions that occur as they move between different stages of the criminal justice process. Probation is often presented as a rehabilitative, community-based alternative to custody, yet people under probation supervision frequently navigate complex transitions, such as release from prison, changes in housing or…
employment, adjustments to supervision requirements, and shifts in identity and relationships. Yet little is known about how individuals experience these transitions and the accumulative impact of them and how these either support or hinder desistance. This PhD will use a qualitative approach to answer the following research questions: 1) How do individuals subject to probation supervision experience the social, emotional, and structural transitions that occur as they move through different stages of the probation supervision? 2) In what ways do multiple and accumulative transitions, such as release from custody, housing instability, employment changes, different supervision requirements, and identity, facilitate or hinder individuals’ desistance and compliance? 3) How do organisational practices and policy frameworks impact on the transitional experiences of people on probation? By analysing these dynamics, this research aims to contribute to theoretical debates along with offering practical insights to support the development of probation practice.
