behaviour modification in custody

• behaviourist approach - if beh can be learned, it can be unlearned
• beh modification programmes are designed with the aim of reinforcing obedient behaviour and punishing disobedience to hope it dies out and obedience continues
• token economy based on operant conditioning
• token economy reinforces desirable behaviour with a token that can the. be exchanged for a reward
• tokens are secondary reinforces because they derive their value from their association with a reward
• beh modification aims to replace undesirable behs with more desirable ones through the selective use of positive and negative reinforcement
• 1. desirable beh is identified
  2. broken down into small steps (increments)
  3. baseline measure is established
  4. behaviours to be reinforced are decided upon, and all those who come in contact with offenders must follow the same regime of selective reinforcement
• the programme can be overseen by prison officials who are able to monitor the programme‘s effectiveness in the whole prison management and the beh of individual offenders
• hobbs and holt introduced a token economy programme with groups of young delinquents across 3 behavioural units - a 4th acted as a control

  • they observed a significant difference in positive behaviour compared to the non token economy group
• ✔️easy to implement - no need for expertise or specialist professionals
• ✔️cost effective and easy to follow once workable methods of reinforcement have been established
• X depends on consistent approach from prison staff

  • bassett and blanchard found any benefits were lost after staff applied the techniques inconsistently due to lack of appropriate training of staff or high staff turnover
• X blackburn - beh modification has ‘little rehabilitation value’, any positive changes in beh that may occur whilst the offender is still in prison may quickly be lost when they are released
• X the token economy system is at its best when establishing appropriate conduct within prison with respect to a very specific set of behs but or greed is unlikely to extend beyond the custodial setting as law abiding beh is not always reinforced on the outside or rewards for breaking the law may be more powerful
• X beh modification considered manipulative and dehumanising - participation in the scheme is obligatory rather than optional
• X ethically questionable where some withdrawal of tokens involve privileges such as exercise and contact with loved ones
• X beh modification deals with surface beh which encourages a passive form of superficial learning

  • offenders likely to play along with the token economy system to access rewards but this produces little change in their overall character and they will quickly regress back to their former beh
• ?? anger management is a more active approach in modifying beh - individual is required to reflect in the cause of their offending and is given greater responsibility for their own rehabilitation
• ✔️for maximum effectiveness the programme should be designed so that the rewards suit the individual

  • field et al examined a token economy programme used with young people with behavioural problems
  • programme was generally effective but there was some ppl who didn’t respond so they were placed on a specialised programme where rewards were more frequent and it created more positive results