behaviour mod/token economy-EVAL Flashcards
one STRENGTH of behaviour modification in custody to deal with offending behaviour is that it has RESEARCH SUPPORT for it being EFFECTIVE:
Hobbs and Holt introduced token economy across 3 behavioural units and found a SIG difference in POSITIVE behaviour compared to NON token economy group.
Field also found that token economy programme with young was EFFECTIVE especially if rewards were IMMEDIATE and more FREQUENT.
Therefore this is a STRENGTH as it SUPPORTS that token economy leads to POS effects on offenders.
*HOWEVER, this will DEPEND on ths CONSISTENCY of the approach of prison staff, and if NOT consistent it will NOT work.
one WEAKNESS of behaviour modification in custody to deal with offending behaviour is that it has LITTLE rehabilitative value
Positive changes in prisoners behaviour DONT transfer to the OUTSIDE world when released.
More COG treatments e.g. anger management may lead to more PERM behaviour changes as they have to UNDERSTAND the cause of their offending and take RESPONSIBILITY for their own rehabilitation.
Offenders can easily PLAY along to access tokens and exchange for rewards whilst NOT changing anything about their character.
Further EVIDENCED by the fact that once token economy was DISCONTINUED offenders quickly REGRESS back to their former behaviour.
one STRENGTH of behaviour modification in custody to deal with offending behaviour is that it is COST-EFFECTIVE
*Behaviour modification can be ADMINISTERED easily
*NO need for PROFESSIONALS.
*Token economy DESIGNED and IMPLEMENTED by ANYONE in the institution. Requires SOME training but nowhere near as much as training/COST of professional in anger manage.
This means behaviour modification is EASY to follow and COST-EFFICIENT which has POSITIVE implications for the ECONOMY.
one ISSUE with behaviour modification in custody to deal with offending behaviour is that it may have ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS:
Some have CRITICISED using token economies as the REWARD for good behaviour is seen more as a RIGHT.
This is IMPORTANT as it has IMPLICATIONS for how EFFECTIVE such treatment programmes are, and offenders may become SKEPTICAL of token economies as a treatment programme.
Participation is often OBLIGATORY>optional and FAILURE can lead to PUNISHMENT
This questions the MORALITY/FAIRNESS of using token economies.
*However some suggests that BENEFITS outweigh the COST as it allows prison officers to have LESS pressure and stress in a HOSTILE enviro.
Therefore jugdement on whether token economies are beneficial DEPENDS on the PERSPECTIVE taken.
