Behaviour modification in custody

Question 1

What is the aim of behaviour modification programmes?

Answer 1

To reinforce obedient behaviours in offenders in offenders whilst punishing disobedience in the hope that the former continues and the latter dies out.

Question 2

How is token economy system managed?

Answer 2

Managed and co-ordinated by prison staff and is something that all are required to adhere to

Question 3

What does token economy involve?

Answer 3

Based on operant conditioning

Reinforcing desirable behaviour with a token that can be exchanged for a reward

Question 4

What are examples of a behaviour that is rewarded from token economy?

Answer 4

keeping cell tidy

avoiding conflict

Question 5

When does a prisoner become rewarded with a token ?

Answer 5

When they show good behaviour

Question 6

What are examples of rewards?

Answer 6

Use of gym

Phone call to family

Question 7

If prisoner is disobedient, what happens to prisoners as a form of punishment?

Answer 7

Their tokens and privileges will be taken away from them

Question 8

What happens to the desirable behaviour?

Answer 8

Once it is identified, it is broken down into small steps to create a baseline

Question 9

Who/where does the approach work best?

Answer 9

With children, in school

In institutions eg. mental hospitals and prisons

Question 10

Which behaviours are reinforced?

Answer 10

Appropriate, desirable behaviours are consistently reinforce

Question 11

What do token economies show?

Answer 11

The application of operant conditioning principles to adults in institutional settings

Question 12

What did Hobbs and Holt (1976) do?

Answer 12

They introduced a token economy programme with young delinquents in three behavioural units, 4th as a control.
They observed a significant improvement in positive behaviour as a result of the introduction of the token economy

Question 13

Who else supports Hobbs and Holt?

Answer 13

Allyon

Found similar effects in an an adults prison

Question 14

What did Cohen and Fitzpatrick (1971) find?

Answer 14

Showed how a token economy group showed more desirable behaviour in prison but recidivism rates after 3 years returned to those similar to national statistics.
Behaviour modification delays recidivism but may not have an impact long term

Question 15

What are the strengths of using token economies?

Answer 15

They are easy to implement

Do not require specialist training or expense

Question 16

What are the weaknesses of using token economies?

Answer 16

All staff must implement them consistently if they are going to work
Effects produced may not primarily be down to token economy - might be because of increased attention, planned system of activities and improved monitoring
They make just fake desirable behaviours in order to get tokens

Question 17

What ethical issues are raised with token economies?

Answer 17

It can be viewed as manipulative and dehumanising
The scheme is obligatory
Unethical to withhold privileges

Question 18

How is anger management more effective?

Answer 18

The offender is active in their learning and therefore takes greater responsibility for their rehabilitation

Question 19

What is the biggest issue with token economies?

Answer 19

It is too easy for the prisoner to fake behaviour and then relapse after release

Question 20

What did Field et al (2004) find?

Answer 20

That individually tailored programmes are most effective
They examined a token economy used with young people with behavioural difficulties
When later placed on programmes where rewards were more frequent and immediate the results were positive