Aging Out of Crime: Resettlement Challenges Facing Male Ex-Prisoners in Hong Kong

Abstract

Research on desistance from crime has focused largely on Western regions. While culture has been identified as an important factor to consider, desistance studies largely hold cultural context constant. In this exploratory article, we offer one of the first qualitative examinations of ex-convict resettlement in East Asia. We focus on three aspects salient to the narratives of former prisoners in Hong Kong: their views regarding aging and aging out of crime, their felt sense of agency or willpower to “go straight,” and challenges to expressions of agency related to employment and facing family members. The pivotal importance and mediating effects of social support is underscored. Implications for research on desistance focused outside of occidental regions are explored.