Since the early 1990s, the study of criminal careers has increased in criminological inquiries. Studies pay attention to the onset, duration and desistance of criminal careers. This paper is concerned with the explanation of desistance. Several explanations can be found for desistance in the life course of offenders. Within developmental and life-course criminology, there are four theoretical models with the potential to explain the development of the criminal career. The three leading models are the static
(e.g. self-control theory), dynamic (e.g. age-graded informal social control theory) and typological models (e.g. dual taxonomy theory). Another promising theory which fits in the above mentioned models is the theory of the desistance process as a subjective interpretation, developed by Maruna. He indicated that besides the individual and psychological processes, one should not neglect the subjective interpretation of desistance by the offenders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability of these models to the explanation of desistance. This is done from the standpoint
of the analytical way of thinking in sociology/criminology. The implication of our findings for further inquiries into desistance are discussed.