Life stories of offenders and social adjustment

Abstract

This is a qualitative study, with 20 male offenders, aged from 25 to 56 years old, incarcerated in a Portuguese prison. The objectives of this research were: to identify the beginning of anti-social conduct; the contextual factors that facilitate the occurrence of that conduct and the processes perceived by the offenders that would facilitate the social reinsertion. Methodology involves analysis of offender’s process and semi structured interview. Results indicate that 45% of offenders begin antisocial conduct in adolescence and 5% in childhood. The causes they appoint to deviant conduct were bad influence of deviant peers, drug addiction, and no employment. The factor they believe will help them in social reinsertion was to have a job. Data suggest certain reinsertion social strategies and the necessity of primary prevention of violence in schools.

Keywords

• conduta anti-social
• reclusos
• reinserção social