Behavioural modificaton and custodial sentencing

• What is custodial sentencing?


  Where convicted criminals are held in a secure facility
• What are the four aims of custodial sentencing?

  • Deterrence = stop reoffending
  • Rehabilitation= improve behavior and learn skills
  • Retribution = paying for crime and punishment
  • Incapacitation = protecting society
• What are the psychological effects of custodial sentencing?

  Depression, institutionalization, deinvidualisation increased the risk of reoffending.
• Analysis of custodial sentencing:

  • provide training and treatment
  • negative effects of custodial sentencing
  • counter productive
• What is behavior modification?

  Reinforcement of obedient behavior and punishing disobedient behaviours
• What is behavioral modification based up?

  behaviourist approach
• Good inmate behaviours are reinforced with tokens which act as secondary reinforces which can be traded for a primary reinforcer
• The effectiveness of behaviour modification depends upon 3 factors:

  • Operationalised target behaviours agreed with staff/inmate
  • Scoring system - behaviour is hierarchal, reinforcements outnumber punishments
  • Training staff = must be done to create standardised procedures
• Analysis of Behavioural modification:

  • Research support from Hobbs and Holt (1976) but counteracted by Basset and Blanchard (1977)
  • Easy implementation but little affect in reducing long term recidivism
  • Little rehab value