Books by Dana Segev
Desistance and Societies in Comparative Perspective, 2020
Desistance and Societies in Comparative Perspective offers findings from a cross-national compara... more Desistance and Societies in Comparative Perspective offers findings from a cross-national comparative mixed-method study of desistance processes in England and Israel – two countries with different social-political systems and distinct cultural attributes. The study was the first of its kind in crimin- ology, both in terms of its key objectives and the methods utilised. The findings uncover how social structures and cultures shape individual-level experience. In particular, the findings illustrate how external and internal mechanisms in desistance processes were ‘oriented’ in particular ways, in accordance with contextual factors. The book outlines five contextual factors which were key in shaping the dynamics of desistance across societies and cultures. These are:
1) cultural scripts;
2) social climates;
3) shared values and norms;
4) social interactions and encounters; and
5) distinct cultural characteristics.
These five factors provide a contextual framework within which to understand the role of cul- tures and social structures in shaping agency and experiences in processes of desistance, and with which to account for variances and similarities across societies and cultures. Written in a clear and direct style, this book will appeal to students and scholars in criminology, sociology, cultural studies, social theory and those interested in learning about why and how people desist from crime.
How can we best help offenders desist from crime, as well as help victims heal? This book engages... more How can we best help offenders desist from crime, as well as help victims heal? This book engages with this question by offering its readers a comprehensive review of positive criminology in theory, research and practice. Positive criminology is a concept – a perspective – that places emphasis on forces of integration and social inclusion that are experienced positively by target individual and groups, and may contribute to a reduction in negative emotions, desistance from crime and overcoming the traumatic experience of victimization. In essence, positive criminology holds a more holistic view, which acknowledges that thriving and disengagement from distress, addiction, mental illness, crime, deviance or victimization might be fostered more effectively by enhancing positive emotions and experiences, rather than focusing on reducing negative attributes.
Each chapter in this book is written by key scholars in the related fields of criminology, victimology and addiction and, thus, assembles varied and extensive approaches to rehabilitation and treatment. These approaches share in common a positive criminology view, thereby enriching our understanding of the concept and other strength-based approaches to dealing with offenders and victims.
This edited book elaborates on positive criminology core ideas and assumptions; discusses related theories and innovations; and presents various benefits that this perspective can promote in the field of rehabilitation. For this reason, this book will be essential reading for those engaged in the study of criminology, criminal justice and victimology and may also assist scholars and professionals to help offenders desist from crime and improve victims’ well-being.
Thesis Chapters by Dana Segev
PhD thesis, 2018
When ex-offenders desist from crime, they do so within a given society, with its own unique cultu... more When ex-offenders desist from crime, they do so within a given society, with its own unique cultural values and norms; typical ways of interacting with friends and acquaintances; social attitude towards crime and offenders; and its own way of doing justice. This is a rather obvious statement; nevertheless, studies of desistance to date have scarcely explored the role of wide contextual factors in processes of desistance. Furthermore, there is a dearth of comparative cross national studies that explore variations in desistance processes across societies, and thereby shed light on the influence of contextual factors. In this thesis, I begin to address this gap by exploring the role that cultures and social structures may play in shaping the dynamics of desistance. In particular, I undertook a cross national comparative study of desistance processes in England and Israel; two countries with different social-political systems and distinct cultural attributes. I employed a mixed methods approach which involved interviewing men who were desisting from crime and were supervised in the community, in each country; a statistical comparison into their use of time and space; interviews with people who worked with (ex)offenders; and a comparison of the broad social, economic, political, and cultural conditions in each country, which involved an analysis of data from the European Social Survey. The overarching objective was to develop insights about processes of desistance and the role of contextual or broad social factors in affecting them.
Based on the data collected, I identified how contextual factors structured the pathways out of crime in each country; interacted with identity and agency; and gave rise to variances in the dynamics of desistance. Overall, I argue that desistance processes were shaped by the cultural and social contexts which enveloped them, such that external and internal mechanisms of these processes were ‘oriented’ in particular ways and in accordance with contextual factors. Throughout the thesis, I draw a thread between contextual factors, the social conditions in each country, and identity and agency, to illustrate how this ‘orientation’ takes place. In conclusion, I propose a contextual framework with which to conceptualise the influence of broad social factors on desistance from crime. This study provides new insights into the role of contextual factors in processes of desistance and the underlying mechanisms involved in these processes. It is hoped that the findings will assist future researchers to understand cultures and social structures and their input when studying desistance from crime.
**Attached is Chapter 1 of my thesis which provides an overview. Contact me for further details.**
Papers by Dana Segev
Positive Criminology, 2015
International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 2014
The discourse regarding offender rehabilitation has been criticized by various scholars who have ... more The discourse regarding offender rehabilitation has been criticized by various scholars who have claimed that reducing negative causes and managing risk will not automatically prompt positive human development and elements that are associated with desistance. Positive criminology is an innovative concept that challenges the common preoccupation with negative elements, by placing emphasis on human encounters and forces of inclusion that are experienced positively by target individuals and that can promote crime desistance. However, as the concept is relatively new, there are still no guiding principles for the practice of positive criminology that could direct research and the criminal justice system. This article attempts to fill that gap by providing principles that could be practiced by criminal justice personnel and examples of different interventions that reflect positive criminology. The article also provides ideological explanations for adopting the concept of positive crimino...
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2013
The author would like to thank Prof. David B. Wexler for his insightful comments and support, as ... more The author would like to thank Prof. David B. Wexler for his insightful comments and support, as well as Netanel Dagan for his considerable help and insight.
The Architecture of Desistance, 2019
In the poem Four Quartets, T. S. Eliot described all time – the past, present, and future – as et... more In the poem Four Quartets, T. S. Eliot described all time – the past, present, and future – as eternally present. He points out that the time an individual spent in the past and the time he or she will spend in the future always exists – in one way or another – in ‘time present.’ In this chapter, I compare activities under- taken by probationers in England and Israel in their ‘time present,’ which – using T. S. Eliot’s reflection – is emblematic of their past and the future they seek. In particular, I explore the use of time and space amongst probationers in England and Israel who were desisting from crime, with the aim of uncovering the impact of social-structural factors on the experiences of individuals in these two countries. I found that English participants spent less time working and more time resting and in ‘home’ settings than their Israeli counterparts. I suggest that the more enabling social context with regards to employment for those with criminal convictions in Israel, alongside the greater social capital, accounts for the observed variance in how participants spent their time. Fur- thermore, I propose that English and Israeli participants responded to similar obstacles in different ways: Israeli participants tended towards sociability, while English participants preferred to stay in home settings in order to over- come desistance-related obstacles. Another key finding that emerged was that religious traditions operated at a broader social level and shaped the time use of Israeli participants by encouraging certain behaviours, regardless of their level of religiosity or whether they ascribed to religious customs. **Contact me for the full chapter**
As acknowledged in Therapeutic Jurisprudence (TJ) literature, lawyer’s actions can have important... more As acknowledged in Therapeutic Jurisprudence (TJ) literature, lawyer’s actions can have important consequences for defendants. Defence lawyer received particular focus in TJ literature, and techniques have been developed to enhance their clients’ emotional well-being and readiness for rehabilitation. This book chapter, in a new Routledge publication: “Positive Criminology”, looks at the role of defense lawyers, particularly those who represent youth defendants. The aim of the chapter is to add to the pool of knowledge on the topic by turning to a concept referred to as “positive criminology” and reexamining the therapeutic consequences lawyers can foster in young defendants by merging relevant aspects of each concept.
Strengths-Based Approaches to Crime and Substance Use, 2019
When ex-offenders desist from crime, they do so within a given society, with its own unique cultu... more When ex-offenders desist from crime, they do so within a given society, with its own unique cultural values and norms; typical ways of interacting with friends and acquaintances; social attitude towards crime and offenders; and its own way of doing justice. This is a rather obvious statement; nevertheless, studies of desistance to date have scarcely explored the role of wide contextual factors in processes of desistance. Furthermore, there is a dearth of comparative cross national studies that explore variations in desistance processes across societies, and thereby shed light on the influence of contextual factors. In this thesis, I begin to address this gap by exploring the role that cultures and social structures may play in shaping the dynamics of desistance. In particular, I undertook a cross national comparative study of desistance processes in England and Israel; two countries with different social-political systems and distinct cultural attributes. I employed a mixed methods ...
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Books by Dana Segev
1) cultural scripts;
2) social climates;
3) shared values and norms;
4) social interactions and encounters; and
5) distinct cultural characteristics.
These five factors provide a contextual framework within which to understand the role of cul- tures and social structures in shaping agency and experiences in processes of desistance, and with which to account for variances and similarities across societies and cultures. Written in a clear and direct style, this book will appeal to students and scholars in criminology, sociology, cultural studies, social theory and those interested in learning about why and how people desist from crime.
Each chapter in this book is written by key scholars in the related fields of criminology, victimology and addiction and, thus, assembles varied and extensive approaches to rehabilitation and treatment. These approaches share in common a positive criminology view, thereby enriching our understanding of the concept and other strength-based approaches to dealing with offenders and victims.
This edited book elaborates on positive criminology core ideas and assumptions; discusses related theories and innovations; and presents various benefits that this perspective can promote in the field of rehabilitation. For this reason, this book will be essential reading for those engaged in the study of criminology, criminal justice and victimology and may also assist scholars and professionals to help offenders desist from crime and improve victims’ well-being.
Thesis Chapters by Dana Segev
Based on the data collected, I identified how contextual factors structured the pathways out of crime in each country; interacted with identity and agency; and gave rise to variances in the dynamics of desistance. Overall, I argue that desistance processes were shaped by the cultural and social contexts which enveloped them, such that external and internal mechanisms of these processes were ‘oriented’ in particular ways and in accordance with contextual factors. Throughout the thesis, I draw a thread between contextual factors, the social conditions in each country, and identity and agency, to illustrate how this ‘orientation’ takes place. In conclusion, I propose a contextual framework with which to conceptualise the influence of broad social factors on desistance from crime. This study provides new insights into the role of contextual factors in processes of desistance and the underlying mechanisms involved in these processes. It is hoped that the findings will assist future researchers to understand cultures and social structures and their input when studying desistance from crime.
**Attached is Chapter 1 of my thesis which provides an overview. Contact me for further details.**
Papers by Dana Segev
1) cultural scripts;
2) social climates;
3) shared values and norms;
4) social interactions and encounters; and
5) distinct cultural characteristics.
These five factors provide a contextual framework within which to understand the role of cul- tures and social structures in shaping agency and experiences in processes of desistance, and with which to account for variances and similarities across societies and cultures. Written in a clear and direct style, this book will appeal to students and scholars in criminology, sociology, cultural studies, social theory and those interested in learning about why and how people desist from crime.
Each chapter in this book is written by key scholars in the related fields of criminology, victimology and addiction and, thus, assembles varied and extensive approaches to rehabilitation and treatment. These approaches share in common a positive criminology view, thereby enriching our understanding of the concept and other strength-based approaches to dealing with offenders and victims.
This edited book elaborates on positive criminology core ideas and assumptions; discusses related theories and innovations; and presents various benefits that this perspective can promote in the field of rehabilitation. For this reason, this book will be essential reading for those engaged in the study of criminology, criminal justice and victimology and may also assist scholars and professionals to help offenders desist from crime and improve victims’ well-being.
Based on the data collected, I identified how contextual factors structured the pathways out of crime in each country; interacted with identity and agency; and gave rise to variances in the dynamics of desistance. Overall, I argue that desistance processes were shaped by the cultural and social contexts which enveloped them, such that external and internal mechanisms of these processes were ‘oriented’ in particular ways and in accordance with contextual factors. Throughout the thesis, I draw a thread between contextual factors, the social conditions in each country, and identity and agency, to illustrate how this ‘orientation’ takes place. In conclusion, I propose a contextual framework with which to conceptualise the influence of broad social factors on desistance from crime. This study provides new insights into the role of contextual factors in processes of desistance and the underlying mechanisms involved in these processes. It is hoped that the findings will assist future researchers to understand cultures and social structures and their input when studying desistance from crime.
**Attached is Chapter 1 of my thesis which provides an overview. Contact me for further details.**