Dealing with offender behaviour - Forensic Psychology

Question 1

Supporting evidence (L)

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 1

Latimer et al (2005)

found RJ resulted in greater victim + offender satisfaction + lower rates of recidivism

Question 2

Methodological concerns

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 2

RJ is voluntary

• people who voluteer may be less likely to reoffend anyway

!! causation doesn’t mean correlation

Question 3

Limited Applications

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 3

voluntary nature makes application limited

• can’t work if either the offender/victim doesn’t consent to take part

Question 4

seen as ‘soft option’

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 4

common perception is doesn’t sufficiently punish offenders for their crimes

Question 5

mental health improvement (S + S)

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 5

Sherman + Strang (2007)
- victims’ mental health improved after they had voiced their emotion

Question 6

probelms with cost of it

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 6

• expensive
• time consuming
• requires high skilled, trained mediator

Question 7

Links to issues + debates

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 7

• idiographic approach

– one size does not fit all
– will be tailored to the needs and situation of each case

Question 8

positive outcomes upon releases

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 8

• results in a more positive contribution to society
• gives offender a second chance

Question 9

Negative psychological effects (F)

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 9

FAZEL ET AL (2011)
- found rates of sucidie were 3 times higher than general population

Question 10

Conflicting evidence (M)

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 10

Martinson 1974
- reviewed 231 studies of prison programmes

• treatment was largely ineffective

Question 11

COSTS!!!

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 11

£46,696 per prisoner

Question 12

Links to Approaches

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 12

• operant conidtioning
• negative reinforcement
• possible vicoriously reinforcing as well

Question 13

Difficulty adapting to life after sentence

CUSTODIAL SENTENCING

Answer 13

prisons are regimented + conforms to strict rules
+ regulations

Question 14

Little rehabilitative value (B)

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICIATION

Answer 14

Blackburn 1993
- positive changes in prison may be quickly lost when released
- law abiding behaviour is not always reinforced on the outside

Question 15

ethical issues raised

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICIATION

Answer 15

conditions are regarded as manipulative + dehumanising

• participation = obligatory
• offender who decides not to comply with scheme loses ‘privileges’

Question 16

Individula differences (C + F) (R)

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICIATION

Answer 16

Cohen + Filipczak 1971
- found juvenile delinquents were less likely to reoffend after one year

Rice et al 1990
- studies 92 men in Canadian maximum security psychiatric hospital
- found 50% of men reoffended

Question 17

Links to Approaches

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICIATION

Answer 17

operant conditiong (postively reinforced)

Question 18

eclectic approach

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Answer 18

works on different levels
- acknowledges that offedning is a complex social + psychological activity

Question 19

Effectiveness - support study (K)

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Answer 19

Keen at al (2000)
- assessed the progress of offenders
- 8 two hours seesions of anger management over weeks

** found particpants became more self aware and able to control their anger

Question 20

more research … (I)

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Answer 20

Ireland 2004
- 92% improvement

Question 21

anger may not be the cause of offending (L + L - F)

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Answer 21

Loza + Loza - Fanous 1999

• found no differences in levels of anger between offenders classed as violent or non violent