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

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 perspective as both scholar and lived experience expert.

And in a remarkable full-circle moment, Paul reflects on his connection to the original Liverpool Desistance Study—not just as a researcher, but as a participant.

This is a conversation about the long arc of change, the power of community, and what it truly means to make good—and stay good.

🔗 Learn More

To learn more about applying desistance principles in your own work, explore the TIDES Supervision Model: 👉 https://thetidesllc.com/

🎙️ Connect with the Show

Have questions or want to connect? Reach out through The Criminologist Podcast.

🔑 Final Thought

Desistance is not a destination. It is a process—one that unfolds over time, through identity, belonging, and human connection.