I Am Not My Crime - Allan

USQ Podcasts

As a child, Allan didn’t really belong. By about nine years of age, strong feelings of bitterness and anger were beginning to show, and by twelve he had already determined that one day he would kill someone. All through Allan’s story there is a recurring theme of faith. Allan grew up in a Christian family and despite his years of waywardness, Allan attributes the change in his life and his story of redemption to God having bigger plans for him.

"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 has brought 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:

Maruna, S. (2001). Making good: How ex-convicts reform and rebuild their lives. Washington, EC: American Psychological Association.

Hallet, M., & McCoy, J. S. (2014). Religiously motivated desistance: An exploratory study. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 59(8). doi:10.1177/0306624X14522112