Token economy - FP

• Based on operant conditioning to reinforce desirable behaviours with tokens to be exchanged for rewards e.g. phone call, more visitation, more food.

  The reward is the primary reinforcer and the token is the secondary reinforcer and the token only has value through association.
• It works by:

  • identifying desirable behaviours
  • behaviours are broken down into increments and a baseline for all behaviour established
  • inmates all follow the same regime
  • The programme is overseen by prison officials
  • Behaviours and rewards are made clear and undesirable behaviours result in rewards being withheld or withdrawn
• AO3

  :)

  Research to support token economies come from Hobbs and Holt who found a significant difference in positive behaviour across 3 token economy behavioural units vs non token economy groups.

  Allyon et al also found similar effects in adult prisons.

  This therefore conveys the effectiveness of behaviour modification and increases its validity.
• AO3

  :(

  The issues with token economies is that rewards make for superficial changes as they may not make much change to the overall character of the person.

  This may explain the regression in character after the treatment programme ends.

  Therefore it’s not always effective long term and other programmes like anger management that focus on responsibility and long term change may be more suitable.
• AO3

  :(

  Another issue is that token economy occurs in a controlled environment overlooked by trained prison officers.

  However, on the outside desirable and law abiding behaviour is not always reinforced and this can lead to any positive changes learnt from token economy being lost upon release.

  Therefore without a system of reinforcement on the outside there is a possibility of recidivism.