Dealing

• Dealing with offenders -

  Custodial sentencing -

  • Decided by courts
  • Punished by serving time in a closed institution (Juvenile/prison, psychiatric hospital)
  • Recidivism = reoffending into previous moral behaviours
  • 2014 - 14 prisons (England + Scotland) had 70% reoffenders
  • 48% of adults reoffend within 1 year of release
• Dealing with offending behaviour -

  Custodial sentencing -

  Aims -

  • Deterrence = GENERAL or INDIVIDUAL — unpleasant experience to off put from experiencing prison
  • Retribution = revenge for the criminal actions which are proportionate to the crimes - victim justice
  • Incapacitation = prisons are to protect the public + dependent on the severity of crime
  • Rehabilitation = post-prison adjustments to society to avoid recidivism - skills, education, therapy
• Dealing with offenders -

  Custodial sentencing -

  Effects -

  • Institutionalisation = unable to function normally when released due to being reliant on the routine and support when in prison
  • Higher concentration of mental disorders = 45% depression/anxiety, 8% psychosis, 60% brain injury
  • Rehabilitation = positive within prison due to large amounts of support + resources — long waiting list + expensive = possible overdoes or negativity
  • Dehumanisation = abuse from staff of inmates - de-individualisation
• Dealing with offenders -

  Custodial sentencing - Evaluations

  CPS- Rehabilitation - highly supported programme + aids recovery

  CPW- De-individualisation when released + expensive + depends on which prison

  S- high levels of bad mental health = deterring

  W- cause + effect = mental health cant be sent o be caused by prisons — stress-diathesis or undiagnosed

  W- worsens offending - ‘uni of crime’

  W- not reducing recidivism - 48% reoffend within 1yr

  W- passive - inmates aren’t forced to change - have to want to / engage in changing
• Dealing with offending behaviour -

  Behaviour modification -

  • Token economy = rewarding prisoners with tokens (secondary reinforcement) to exchange for rewards (primary reinforcement)
  • E.g - respect, conformity, involvement, tidy = TV, phone calls, snacks, outside time
  • To be effective - identifiable, in simplest form, have an established baseline, equality for all prisoners
• Dealing with offending behaviour -

  Behaviour modification -

  W- cost = training — prisoners are already underfunded + high staff turnover/understaffed = practical issue

  W- unethical = dehumanising (rewards are rights), possible discrimination

  W- passive = doesn't need conscious change to get rewards — only conforming/identification?

  CPW- short-term = Cohen + Flipczak - less likely to offend 1-2 yrs after release it from 3yrs increased

  CPS- = makes behaviour easier to manage in prisons

  S- Hobbs + Holt = Alabama Industrial Boys School - 3 months of TE = successful positive behaviour
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Anger management-

  • Therapy programme allowing the patient to identify the signs/triggers of anger + develop techniques to calm down
  • Alike CBT (talking therapy to change thought processes) — adapted for anger management
  • 20-24 session with homework
  • CALM = UK programme
  • offender led = aids rehabilitation
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Anger management-

  • Novaco
  • cognitive factors trigger aggression
  • reinforced by the individual feelings of control
  • allows triggers to be identified = techniques to avoid anger in ‘angry‘ situations
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Anger management -

  • Cognitive preparation = reflecting on past experiences (triggers, situations, patterns) with a therapist led by offender
  • Skill acquisition = cognitive (positive self-talking), behavioural (assertive training/effective communication), physiological (relaxation methods)
  • Application practice = skills practiced in role-play with a therapist, needing commitment from the offender to believe its real + trust from therapist to not get hurt/know boundaries
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Anger management - evaluations

  S- Keen = 17-21yrs, 8 2hr sessions, didn’t take it seriously = increased awareness of difficulties + self-control

  CPS- Ireland = 92% of treatment groups showed improvements

  CPW- not stating if its a long-term solution or if its generalisable to all

  W- requires the offender to take an active role = homework + believing role-play to improve

  W- costs = training + time consuming = post-code lottery
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Restorative Justice -

  • Aims = rehabilitation + atonement (guilt for crime)
  • managed mediation between victim + offender
  • advocated by Restorative Justice System = victim led + personalised + preparation time
  • Victim: closure, healing, control, explain implications
  • Offender: enhanced reflection/guilt, responsibility
  • active process for both members = positive outcomes
  • application to many situations - work, school
  • can be outside of prison, FtF, with or instead of sentencing
  • inappropriate for crimes with a power in balance (domestic abuse, rape)
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Restorative Justice - Evaluations

  S- Shapland = 7yr longitudinal study = 85% positive, 78% recommend, 60% felt better

  S- reduced recidivism = 1/2 of the 2/3 reoffended

  CPS- personalised for individual situations

  CPW- no standardisation

  W- expensive = training, time, trauma

  W- requires engagement = offenders may participate for benefits not wanting to move forwards (time out of cell)

  W- not suitable for power imbalance crimes (domestic abuse + rape)
• Dealing with offending behaviour -

  Behaviour modification -

  • Token economy
  • rewarding prisoners with tokens (secondary reinforcements) exchanged for rewards (primary reinforcements)
  • E.g - respect, conformity, involvement, tidy cell == TV, phone calls, time outside, snacks
  • to be effective = identifiable/objective, simplest form, established a baseline, equality (same for all)
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Behaviour modification - evaluations

  S- simple = easily implemented - seen with SZ + not needing a specialist

  S- Hobbs + Holt = young boys, seperate into 4 cottages + control = all increased positive behaviours

  W- Practical issues = costs - rewards, training + prisons are underfunded + understaffed

  W- unethical = dehumanising as rewards are basics + withholding rights + potential discrimination with tokens

  W- passive = doesn’t need conscious effort to change/rehabilitate — only following rules
• Dealing with offending behaviour-

  Behaviour modification - evaluations

  CPS- Short term = better management within prisons

  CPW- Cohen + Filipczak = young men were less likely to offend 1-2yrs but after 3yrs back to normal recidivism rates