Behaviour modification in custody

• Custodial sentencing is used as a form of punishment. It aims to decrease offending and deter others
• An alternative to punishment is to use rewards and reinforce desirable behaviours instead of punishing undesirable behaviours
• Both positive and negative reinforcement can be used to encourage people to use certain behaviours and punishment can be used to discourage them.
• Token economy is a therapy where desirable behaviours are encouraged by the use of selective reinforcements. Rewards ( tokens ) are given as secondary reinforcers when individuals engage in correct behaviours. These can be exchanged for primary reinforcers - food or privileges.
• Token economy works well in a closed society such as a prison as the rewards for the tokens can be precisely manipulated
• In a prison, tokens given for desirable behaviours can be exchanged for desirable items. The items of food are primary reinforcers and the tokens are secondary reinforcers. They become reinforcers by being repeatedly presented alongside the reinforcing stimulus
• Removing tokens because of undesirable behaviour would be a punishment.
• Shaping - longer term objectives or complex behaviours consisting of smaller components can be taught through the process of shaping. Tokens are given for behaviours that become more complex.
• Key study: Hobbs and Holt ( 1976 ) observed 125 boys from a training school for adolescents. Staff were given training to observe behaviour and categorise how many times boys from each cottage did something in categories like following cottage rules, following instructions, completing assigned chores, walking in a straight line. Boys were told they could earn tokens that could be exchanged for drinks, sweets and cigarettes, or saved for trips. There was an average increase in positive behaviour of 27 %. The control group showed no increase.
• AO3. Token economy can be effective, and it is easy to implement. It provides a way of controlling behaviour and improving the prison environment for staff and prisoners without the input of psychologists. This can provide a simple way of improving prison life.
• AO3. Token economy doesn't affect reoffending rates or behaviour outside of prison. Token economy only has short term effects while the rewards are available and once they cease the stimulus response link is extinguished. Also the behaviours learnt in prison may not apply to the real world such as walking in a straight line. This means it can improve behaviour in a prison environment but it is not helpful when they return to the real world.
• AO3. Some people respond better to operant conditioning than others. Juvenile delinquents who had been trained with a token economy system were less likely to re offend after one year, whereas 50 % of violent criminals treated using a token economy re offended. This shows that token economy is not always effective for everyone.
• Token economy systems can violate human rights as the individuals are being manipulated and they don't always agree. This can be overcome by agreeing procedures and goals between staff and prisoners. However it is unethical to manage basic needs such as food or visit right. This presents ethical issues with token economy