ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 details the characteristics of the 58 study participants, with a focus on sociodemographic variables, religious affiliation, educational background, criminal history, family characteristics, health issues, substance abuse issues, and the exposure to trauma and victimization, both pre-incarceration and in prison. As noted in this chapter and detailed in subsequent chapters, the legacy of trauma can exert a strong influence on the process of positive growth and desistance from crime.
