What strategies can help offenders desist from crime?
There are various methods which can turn offenders away from crime. Generally, association with the criminal justice system (CJS) and custody in particular can have a negative effect on desistance, which is the process of moving from offending to successful social integration (Kirkland and McNeill 2015). However, methods such as increasing employment, certain community orders, and simply minimal contact with the CJS can work to turn offenders away from crime. Custodial sentences Firstly, it will be argued that custodial sentences do not usually work to turn offenders away from crime, despite recent government legislation which increases the use of custodial sentences. The Release of Prisoners Order 2020 has meant offenders serving a fixed term sentence for violent or sexual offences cannot be released on licence until two thirds of their sentence is served, rather than just half. This means prison population will increase by 2,000 by 2030. These increases in the prison population do
