An introduction to research on desistance, and a report on a follow-up of two hundred probationers sentenced to supervision in the late 1990s, this book appeals to undergraduates, postgraduates and academics studying criminology, criminal justice, sociology, social work, social policy and psychology, as well as trainee probation officers.

In contrast to the widespread focus on ethnicity in relation to engagement in offending, the question of whether or not processes associated with desistance - that is the cessation and curtailment of offending behaviour - vary by ethnicity has received less attention. This is despite known ethnic differences in factors identified as affecting disengagement from offending, such as employment, place of residence, religious affiliation and family structure, providing good reasons for believing differences would exist. This book seeks to address this oversight.