The value of ‘bearing witness’ to desistance

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to the debate on making probation practice 'desistance-focused'. It does this through considering the body of knowledge on responding to trauma through 'bearing witness' to the person's story -attending to their values and lived experience -and applying this to probation practice. It addresses why the literature on trauma has relevance to work with people who have offended. Then it explores the epistemological, performative, moral and political dimensions of 'bearing witness' and the relevance of each of these to desistance. It highlights the potentially critical role of the audience (in this case the probation practitioner) in the co-construction of the desistance narrative. Additionally, the paper argues that insufficient attention has been paid to the moral space in which such narratives are co-constructed. In a context where the voices of people who have offended are silenced and their experiences of victimisation or structural violence are written out, I suggest that 'being present and being with another' (Naef, 2006: 146) enacts a moral responsibility to support a transition from object to subject and to recognise and endorse the humanity of those who have committed crimes. The paper provides a practice example of 'bearing witness' to desistance. Finally it addresses potential challenges in asking probation officers to 'bear witness' to desistance.

Social media: A challenge to identity and relational desistance

“…If achieved, this would support a reflective process of relabelling (B. Weaver, 2012) to occur to enable identity and relational desistance. Societies response provides the opportunity to 'bear witness' to desistance, which does not have to happen face-to-face, a vital component for individual service users to become active agents in their own desistance narratives (Anderson, 2016). Therefore, there is the need to develop stronger evidence to support a practicebased understanding of the role social media may play in challenging, or encouraging, the process of desistance across gender.…”

“…Karen's narrative has already demonstrated how her interaction with social media enabled her to shape her own identity. To expand, Karen's identity was reaffirmed by others enabling her to publicly bear witness to desistance (Anderson, 2016) and gain support and encouragement in challenging stigmatisation and recognising her possible self through the participatory relationships created. This evidences changes in both identity and relational desistance.…”

Restorative justice informed criminal justice social work and probation services

“…Drawing on the concept of moral repair, they argue that, where obligations are in direct conflict, practitioners' obligations are to the victim. However, this perspective also requires practitioners to address the victimisation needs of the person who was responsible for the offence (Ward and Moreton, 2008), and therefore encourages a trauma-informed response (Anderson, 2016).…”

Helping, Holding, Hurting: A Conversation about Supervision

“…More recently, Sarah Anderson's award‐winning Probation Journal article, ‘The value of “bearing witness” to desistance’, centres on the importance of ‘being present and being with another’ (Naef , p.146), as an enactment of a ‘moral responsibility to support a transition from object to subject and to recognise and endorse the humanity of those who have committed crimes’ (Anderson , p.408). The echoes of Bill's work – and its refinement – in Sarah's compelling argument make me think how wonderful it would have been to hear Bill's analysis of, and engagement with, desistance research; though I suspect his influence is already inherent in Tony Bottoms's work on desistance; and certainly in my own.…”