cognitive behavioral theory

• Aimed at changing ingrained behavior patterns
• juvenile estate, thinking skills (JETS ) is designed to develop the cognitive and behavioral skills of your offenders. Age 4 to 17, but it can be applied to any age group
• it is based on Ellis’s version of CBT, which is the ABC model of irrational beliefs to analyze the process by which the offender has developed the thinking errors that has led them to commit a crime
• A stands for the activating event, which is a situation that led to crime

  B stands for negative beliefs that they are attached to the activating event

  C stands for the negative consequences and feelings that happen as a result of the negative beliefs
• The program involves 25 sessions, each of which lasting up to 2 1/2 hours and is split into two parts

  The individual session that involves the offender completing exercises in a workbook to help them recognize the thinking errors that led to the crime

  A group session with six offenders, which focuses on continuity and support in the community
• usefulness


  JETS is specifically designed for young offenders, and is useful at reducing offending, both in the long term and short term
• effectiveness


  A 12 month follow-up found at 54% had been reconvicted compared to 74% of a control group

  A 24 month follow-up found 71% had been reconvicted compared to 90% in a control group
• practicalities


  young offenders in custody find it difficult to maintain the motivation to engage in interventions

  It can be hard to manage group sessions