Amputation or Reconstruction? Notes on the Concept of “Knifing Off” and Desistance From Crime

TLDR

The concept of “knifing off”—severing ties to harmful environments or past—to facilitate desistance from crime is widely discussed but remains underdeveloped and rarely examined across diverse contexts. The study seeks to define knifing off, identify its targets and actors, and assess whether it is necessary or sufficient for behavioral change. The authors propose refining the concept by integrating life‑script analysis to guide theories of desistance. They conclude that knifing off is a useful lens for understanding desistance and self‑change, yet call for further refinement and clarification.

Abstract

Several scholars have suggested that life changes—such as desistance from crime—may be shaped by social structures through a process of “knifing off.” Individuals are thought to change their lives by severing themselves from harmful environments, undesirable companions, or even the past itself. Despite the frequent use of this terminology in criminology and other fields, the concept of knifing off remains underdeveloped. Few studies have considered diverse contexts and conditions in which knifing off may or may not occur. The authors raise the following questions: What is knifing off? What gets knifed off, and who does the knifing? Is knifing off necessary and/or sufficient for behavioral change? They conclude that the concept is useful for understanding desistance and self-change but also encourage further refinement and clarification. Recommendations are proposed for developing the concept of knifing off for theories of desistance, particularly recognizing the significance of life scripts for constructing a noncriminal future.