Desistance from synthetic drug production and trafficking: The influence of personal, social,
and structural factors
Desistance is influenced by personal, social, and structural factors, which may differ between offender
populations. Research suggests that desistance of offenders within organized crime may differ from the general criminal population. There is a research gap on the factors promoting or hindering the desistance from organized drug crime, such as drug production and trafficking. Through in-depth interviews, this study analyzes the early desistance narratives of people who were involved in the synthetic drug production and trafficking in Belgium, focusing on the factors influencing their desistance. This article aims to inspire desistance-oriented policies and practices. The findings suggest that recovery from addiction, changes in self-image, and internal motivation may play a crucial role. Restoring prosocial relationships may facilitate desistance, whereas building new criminal networks during detention may impede this process. Structurally, stable housing and overcoming financial challenges were deemed essential. Recommendations are made to facilitate the desistance process.