I Am Not My Crime - David

USQ Podcasts

In the rough neighbourhoods of Sydney, exposure to drugs and violence early in life was not out of the ordinary and involvement in criminal activity with peers provided David with a place to belong. After a few stints in juvenile detention for robbery, car thefts and drug related crime, David and his co-offenders committed one of the most serious crimes. Despite being charged and convicted of murder, David’s life has changed for the better. As you listen, you will notice that David attributes his change to a new perspective of himself, education, building relationships with good influences, and finding a purpose in life.

"I Am Not My Crime" features courageous people telling you the story about the crimes they have committed and their journey to redemption. As you make your way through this first season you will notice a couple of common themes: the importance of other people, opportunities for employment, and being welcomed back into society are what really matter for supporting change and a life lived differently. "I Am Not My Crime" has been produced to help you understand that for many people it is their circumstances that led them down the path to offending behaviour and that what somebody has done in the past is not an indication of who they are today.

Presented by University of Southern Queensland Criminologist Dr Suzanne Reich, each episode concludes with the latest research about why people commit the crime or crimes that have been discussed.

If this episode brings up any issues, and you need to talk to someone, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Alcoholics Anonymous on 1300 22 22 22, or Narcotics Anonymous on 1300 652 820. And blokes, if you think you might need help with anxiety, stress, depression or anger, you can speak with a counsellor from MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78.

Explore the University of Southern Queensland's Criminology and Criminal Justice degrees: Criminology and Criminal Justice - University of Southern Queensland (usq.edu.au)

REFERENCES

Costello, B. J., & Laub, J. H. (2019). Social control theory: The legacy of Travis Hirschi’s Causes of Delinquency. Annual Review of Criminology, 3:21-41. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-criminol-011419-041527

Hernandez, K. A., Ferguson, S., & Kennedy, T. D. (2020). Juvenile homicide offenders: Classifications/typologies. In K. A. Hernandez, S. Ferguson, & T. D. Kennedy. A closer look at juvenile homicide: Kids who kill, (pp. 7-17). Florida, USA: SpringerBriefs in Psychology.

Richards, K. (2011). What makes juvenile offenders different from adult offenders? Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 409. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. Retrieved from https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi409