behaviour modification in custody Flashcards
what is behaviour modification based on?
Behaviour modification programmes are based on the behaviourist principles of operant conditioning.
aim of behaviour modification
effectively manage and monitor offenders during their sentence and reduce the likelihood of reoffending
what are the the behaviourist principles behind behaviour modification?
Obedient behaviour in offenders should be reinforced, whilst disobedience should be punished, in the hope that undesirable behaviours become extinct and are replaced with desirable behaviours.
what is token economy based on this theory?
The token economy system involves reinforcing desirable behaviour (e.g. avoiding conflict, following prison rules etc) with a token that can be exchanged for a reward (e.g. a phone call to a loved one, time in the gym, extra food etc).
what is the aim of token economy? and what are the 3 steps in designing it?
- Tokens are secondary reinforcers because the tokens themselves are not valuable, but they are associated with receiving a reward.
- Non-compliance or disobedience may result in the tokens, and the associated rewards, being withheld or removed as a form of punishment.
- Designing and using token economy: 1. Operationalising target behaviours 2. Scoring system 3. Standardised procedure
define changing behaviour
The desirable behaviour is identified, broken down into small steps and a baseline measure is established. The prison officers must all follow the same regime of selective reinforcement (responding to desired behaviours with a reward). Prison officials can then monitor the effectiveness of the programme.
hobbs and holt 1976
introduced a token economy programme with young offenders across three behavioural units, and a fourth non-token economy group acted as a control). There was a significant difference in positive behaviour in the token economy groups compared to the non-token economy group.
