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Article published In:
Narrative Inquiry
Vol. 27:1 (2017) ► pp.66–84

Me and my custodial sentence

A case study on categorization work of young defendants

| Universitaet Siegen
| Universitaet Siegen

Trials are touchstones, which highlight rationalities of narrative identity construction. This study seeks to explore these rationalities from the perspective of young defendants. Predicated on narrative interviews before and after trials as well as on participant observations of the respective trials, we reconstruct identity-related categorizations of young defendants. Based on “Membership Categorization Analysis”, our focus is on the young defendants’ narrative depiction of their biographical criminal history and their self-presentation as subjects that have been (un)fairly treated and sentenced by penal professionals. Empirically, we use a case study to elaborate on the intricate challenge of identity construction when a severe punishment is imminent. Our results indicate a strategic form of narration, which mirrors the complexities and uncertainties of a trial.

Keywords: Membership Categorization Analysis, defendants, trials, youth crime
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Narrative identities in legal contexts
  • Methods and sample
    • Analyzing membership categories
    • Data
  • Analyses
    • Me and my looming punishment
    • In youth courts, you better have problems
  • Discussion
  • Notes
  • References


This article is currently available as a sample article.

Published online: 3 August 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.27.1.04dol
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