Doing justice to desistance narratives: developing the Desistance Identity Tool

It integrates the theoretical framework of desistance identity with psychological risk assessment, acknowledging the growing evidence base that highlights the central role of narrative and identity transformation in the desistance journey (Maruna, 2001; King, 2013; Stone, 2016; Wigzell, 2021; Villman, 2024). <br><br>The research comprises four interconnected studies, following best practice in scale development and employing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (Carpenter, 2018; Graham et, al. 2025).

Guided by a participatory ethos (Meyer, 2010), the research was conducted with individuals, valuing their lived experiences and insights, rather than on them, in alignment with inclusive and collaborative research principles (Yarbrough, 2020). The feedback from participants, including individuals in custody and professionals working within the criminal justice system, was instrumental in shaping the tool. The research findings suggest that the psychological ‘pains’ of risk assessment could be mitigated by placing greater emphasis on exploring and supporting desistance narratives within criminal justice practice (Crewe, 2011; Warr, 2020; Phillips et. al., 2025).<br><br>The resulting tool (the DIT) aims to provide a practical and accessible means of eliciting desistance narrative scripts.