This unique project adopted a prospective approach, employing a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods and collecting longitudinal panel data from individuals on parole. The primary objective was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the desistance process.
The research sample comprised individuals conditionally released from prison under the supervision of a probation officer – clients of the Probation and Mediation Service (PMS). These individuals were ideal for the prospective study due to their regular contact with PMS officers, allowing for continuous monitoring.
Ten PMS centers – Prague, Ústí nad Labem, Sokolov, Trutnov, Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Brno, Jihlava, Ostrava, Frýdek-Místek, and Karviná – were selected for participation in the TACR Project based on three criteria: 1) location (Bohemia versus Moravia), 2) size (large versus small), and 3) workload (overloaded versus normal capacity) of the center. The quantitative sample included all clients assigned to these PMS centers within the specified time period (from November 1, 2020, to October 30, 2021), totaling 563 individuals. Additionally, 50 clients were selected for the qualitative sample to ensure diversity in terms of gender, type of crime, PMS center, length of supervision, etc.
For each client included in the quantitative part of the research, the probation officer completed three standardized questionnaires over a year and a half (first three months after the client's assignment to the PMS center and then every six months). These questionnaires detailed the officer's evaluation of the client's personality, motivation, and living conditions, covering aspects such as perceived health, education, employment, housing, financial debts, substance abuse, etc. The data were supplemented with information from the Prison Information System. Additionally, five semi-structured interviews (first at the time of the client's assignment to the PMS center and then every four months) were conducted with clients included in the qualitative part of the research to gather detailed information about their living conditions, the challenges they face, and the role of probation in this context
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- Rocque, M. (2017). Desistance from crime: new advances in theory and research. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.