EP 238: Making Good—and Staying Good | Paul Doke on Long-Term Desistance

About this episode

The episode explores the factors that contribute to long-term desistance from crime and substance use, featuring insights from Paul Doke's research and personal experiences.

In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast , host Joseph Arvidson is joined by Paul Doke, PhD candidate at Liverpool John Moores University, to explore one of the most overlooked questions in our field: What does it take not just to desist from crime—but to stay desisting over time ? Building on Shadd Maruna's groundbreaking Liverpool Desistance Study, Paul's research— "Made Good and Stayed Good" —examines identity, recovery, and belonging among long-term members of Narcotics Anonymous who have sustained desistance from crime and substance use for 5, 10, even 40 years. Together, Joseph and Paul explore: Why the concept of "stable recovery" at 5 years may be incomplete Where long-term desisters go after disengaging from the system The critical role of identity transformation in sustained desistance How Narcotics Anonymous fosters belonging, meaning, and pro-social identity Why lived experience must be centered in desistance research and practice The shift from thinking of people as having "desisted" to actively desisting Paul also shares his own powerful journey—from cycles of criminality and substance use to higher education and doctoral research—bringing a rare and essential…

People in this episode

Host: Joseph Arvidson

Guest: Paul Doke

Topics covered

• desistance from crime
• identity transformation
• Narcotics Anonymous
• long-term recovery
• substance use
• community support

Keywords

• desistance
• recovery
• identity
• Narcotics Anonymous
• substance use
• community
• long-term change

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Liverpool John Moores University, Narcotics Anonymous

Books & works: Liverpool Desistance Study, Made Good and Stayed Good

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