Everyday Desistance ─ The Transition to Adulthood Among Formerly Incarcerated Youth

"In Everyday Desistance, the authors illustrate how formerly incarcerated young people navigate the transition to adulthood in the context of urban Los Angeles. They build their research on the stories of twenty-five young men and women who had all experienced significant time behind bars as adolescents. The authors frame the life histories of the young people within the context of systemic inequalities and disparities in education, child welfare, and related systems. As the reader sees how the young people got involved in the juvenile justice system, they also get a glimpse into barriers to getting out; from failed foster home placements to continued probation violations and the threat of being tried as an adult. The authors then present nuanced storiesabout learning how to become an independent adult, how these youth make ends meet, and how others struggle just to survive. For the young men specifically, the authors include two chapters on the journey toward criminal desistance. They use the narratives of the young men to posit various typologies of desistance and associated strategies for navigating criminal temptation, old friends and influences, and even ordinary decisions such as transportation and appearance. A separate chapter on young women details some of the gendered nuances of desistance stories, particularly in relation to finding home, caring for others, and contending with threats of sexualized violence. In the end, the authors use this rich information to make policy and practice recommendations to better address the needs and lived experiences of formerly incarcerated young adults"--