“I’m Not Gonna Let My Daughter Be Ashamed of Who Her Father Is”: Assessing the Complex Relationship Between Fatherhood,Recovery,and Desistance

Abstract

A growing body of literature assesses the relationship between fatherhood and criminal justice outcomes, including recidivism. Minimal research views this relationship within the context of substance use disorders (SUDs), a common and critical complication to desistance pathways. Using a longitudinal sample, we assess the relationship between fatherhood and desistance both quantitatively (n = 177) and qualitatively (n = 60). Finding null results in survival analyses, our analysis focuses primarily on our in-depth interviews, which shed light on the complicated juxtaposition between positive fatherhood identities and barriers to child reunification. We find that fatherhood provides a motivating source of positive identity, but fractured relationships with children and co-parents impact the actualization of parenting goals.