Di Marco Martín Hernán, Sandberg Sveinung, Fondevila Gustavo
Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law, University of Oslo, Kristian Augusts Gate 17, Oslo 0164, Norway.
Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law, University of Oslo, Kristian Augusts Gate 17, Oslo 0164, Norway.
Adv Life Course Res. 2025 Mar;63:100657. doi: 10.1016/j.alcr.2025.100657. Epub 2025 Jan 11.
In very different societal contexts, parenthood has been identified as a critical turning point in life course trajectories. In this qualitative study, we explore parenthood as a turning point for 40 young women and 40 young men in prisons across Latin America. We study the impact of parenthood on criminal trajectories, identify gender differences, and analyze the different mechanisms at work. The analysis distinguishes between positive (crime reducing) and negative (crime increasing) changes following parenthood. When participants felt that they had to change, "slow down" or obtain a more stable and risk-free income, their criminal activities often declined. For women, parenthood could also stabilize healthy intimate relationships, which appeared beneficial for avoiding crime and other harmful practices. On the other hand, frustration arising from failing as parents and increased tensions in daily life often increased criminal involvement. The need for more money, and the absence of legal options for making an income had the same effect. Importantly, negative changes following parenthood were gendered. Men sometimes described frustration at feeling obliged to spend more time at home. For women, parenthood could cement an abusive relationship, cause problems because they became single mothers or make them lose social support. The study is based on repeated qualitative interviews and emphasizes perceived effects of parenthood. The research reveals the variety and nuances of the role of parenthood in criminal trajectories in Latin America and highlights the importance of socio-economic circumstances for criminal trajectories. We argue that in contexts of structural poverty and unemployment, where illegal economies often dominate over legal ones (as seen in many Global South settings), parenthood may lead to increased criminal involvement rather than desistance.
在截然不同的社会背景下，为人父母被视为人生轨迹中的一个关键转折点。在这项定性研究中，我们探讨为人父母对于拉丁美洲各地监狱中的40名年轻女性和40名年轻男性而言如何成为一个转折点。我们研究为人父母对犯罪轨迹的影响，识别性别差异，并分析其中起作用的不同机制。该分析区分了为人父母后产生的积极（减少犯罪）和消极（增加犯罪）变化。当参与者感到他们必须做出改变、“放慢脚步”或获得更稳定且无风险的收入时，他们的犯罪活动往往会减少。对女性而言，为人父母还可以稳定健康的亲密关系，这似乎有利于避免犯罪和其他有害行为。另一方面，为人父母失败所产生的挫败感以及日常生活中日益紧张的关系往往会增加犯罪参与度。对更多金钱的需求以及缺乏合法的收入途径也会产生同样的效果。重要的是，为人父母后的消极变化存在性别差异。男性有时会描述因感到有义务花更多时间在家而产生的挫败感。对女性来说，为人父母可能会巩固一种虐待关系，因为她们成为单身母亲而引发问题，或者使她们失去社会支持。该研究基于多次定性访谈，并强调了为人父母的感知影响。这项研究揭示了在拉丁美洲犯罪轨迹中为人父母角色的多样性和细微差别，并突出了社会经济环境对犯罪轨迹的重要性。我们认为，在结构性贫困和失业的背景下，非法经济往往比合法经济占主导地位（正如在许多全球南方地区所见），为人父母可能会导致犯罪参与度增加而非停止犯罪。
