Dynamic shifts in social networks and normative values in recovery from an offending and drug using lifestyle

Social capital is understood to have two dimensions - the network of supports an individual can call upon, and the individual's commitment to these supports. For alcohol and drug recovery, the term more commonly used is recovery capital - the sum of personal and social resources that the individual can deploy in their recovery journey. The chapter draws on longitudinal data following substance using offenders who engaged in a sports programme (" Second Chance" ) as part of their recovery journey in the North-East of England, a deprived area of England that has been associated with long-standing alcohol problems and recent increases in heroin and other drug use. The chapter examines the stories of success in early recovery and describes five emerging themes - positive identity, physical health and well-being, positive social networks, role models and social learning, and a sense of hope and positive vision of the future. These themes are linked to the existing evidence on recovery capital and predictors of long-term change.