ID: ACJ19-A006 01 Jul 2025

by Fann Jiang, Devni Chamathka Wijayaratne, Jocelyn Choo, Liang-yu (April) Lin, Angeline Tay

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #19 - Excellence in Juvenile Justice Policy and Practice | Article 6 (ACJ19-A006)

Article 6: From Adversity to Desistance: An Exploratory Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Agency, and Social Support Among Justice-Involved Youths (ACJ19-A006) by Fann Jiang Yunfan, Devni Chamathka Wijayaratne, Jocelyn Choo, April Lin Liangyu & Angeline Tay

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known barriers to desistance for justice-involved youths, with research showing its high prevalence among them. Additionally, agency to desist and social support have been identified as facilitators of desistance among justice-involved adults and may play an important role to mitigate the impact of ACEs for justice-involved youths. Given the lack of research on desistance of justice-involved youths, this exploratory study examined the role of ACEs, agency to desist, and social support in the desistance journey of justice-involved youths in Singapore. Findings reveal the complex interplay of these factors and provide insights for targeted rehabilitative interventions.

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Authors

Fann Jiang

Assistant Director / Lead Psychologist, Singapore Prison Service

Fann Jiang graduated from the Singapore Management University (SMU) with a degree with honours in Psychology. She received a scholarship from the Ministry of Home Affairs Singapore to complete her Masters in Forensic Psychology from the University of York, United Kingdom. She has worked in Singapore Prison Service for the past 12 years, in departments that designed and conducted psychological-based interventions for violent and sexually violent offenders, as well as offenders with drug abuse and mental health struggles.
She is currently an Assistant Director in the Correctional Research Branch in Singapore Prison Service with a concurrent appointment in the Home Team Psychology Division as a Lead Psychologist. Her work includes researching topics relating to desistance and minority issues, as well as conducting risk assessments and interventions for offenders.

Devni Chamathka Wijayaratne

Senior Research Analyst, Singapore Prison Service, Singapore

Devni Chamathka Wijayaratne is a Senior Research Analyst at Singapore Prison Service, currently working in the Correctional Research Branch where she contributes to projects in the evaluation team. In her time at the organization, Devni has worked on research projects serving a range of offending populations, including justice-involved youths, sexually violent offenders, drug offenders, and incarcerated mothers, which coincide with her research interests. She is passionate about research work that explores restorative interventions, safe institutions, and supportive community corrections frameworks

Jocelyn Choo

Research Analyst, Singapore Prison Service, Singapore

Jocelyn Choo is a Research Analyst at Singapore Prison Service, currently working in the Correctional Research Branch. She is actively involved with the research team, contributing to projects focused on youth desistance and desistance prediction. Previously, she conducted research projects examining desistance across various incarcerated populations and studied the impact on offenders' families. She is passionate about research work focused on social and community capital, faithbased interventions, and tailored approaches for sexual and violent offenders.

Liang-yu (April) Lin

Senior Assistant Director, Correctional Research Branch, Singapore Prison Service, Singapore

April Lin Liangyu is a Principal Psychologist with the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and currently serves as the Senior Assistant Director (SAD) of the Correctional Research Branch, overseeing research activities of SPS. Previously, she was the SAD of the Psychological Programme Design and Evaluation Branch, where she was involved in developing Psychology-based Correctional Programmes, as well as evaluating rehabilitation programmes, regimes, and policies. With over 16 years of experience in correctional research and practice, April is an advocate of the scientist-practitioner model. She is dedicated to enhancing service delivery for the offender population as informed by evidence.

April holds a Master's degree in Applied Psychology from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her research interests include the use of positive psychology interventions with offenders, desistance, substance addiction, and the neurocognitive functioning of offenders with drug abuse issues.

Angeline Tay

Senior Assistant Director, Singapore Prison Service, Singapore

Angeline Tay is a Lead Correctional Rehabilitation Specialist with the Singapore Prison Service, currently serving as Senior Assistant Director of Correctional Rehabilitation Services (Reformative Training) where she oversees a range of rehabilitation and reintegration services for justice-involved youths sentenced to Reformative Training Centre (RTC). She is passionate in advancing the work with reformative trainees and their families, addressing criminogenic needs such as family relationships, substance abuse, youth violence and gangs. She believes strongly in evidence-based rehabilitative practices and has been instrumental in initiating various regime activities, both in RTC and in community supervision. Angeline holds a Master of Counselling degree, and her professional training consisted of a Postgraduate Diploma in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and in Clinical Supervision. Her research interests encompass family-centric intervention, gamified behaviors, mentoring, and substance addiction of youth offenders.

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #19 - Excellence in Juvenile Justice Policy and Practice | Article 6 (ACJ19-A006)

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