The Digital Desistance Manifesto

Desistance theories in criminology explore how individuals stop engaging in criminal behaviours and have gained increased attention since the 1990s. Desistance involves actively leaving criminality behind and rebuilding one's identity in contrast to rehabilitation's passive interventions. These theories are expanding to include societal perspectives, encompassing community reciprocity and moral reintegration. As society becomes more digital, the criminal justice system is also transforming, necessitating efforts to integrate digital skills into desistance strategies. This manifesto advocates for responsible digitisation in the penal system, aiming for a transformative approach that supports reintegration and leverages technology. It outlines how digital tools can facilitate desistance at different levels and emphasises the role of digital competencies in employment and education contexts for broader cognitive and social growth. The chapter serves as a call for positive change and reintegration in the evolving digital landscape within the criminal justice system.