DEALING WITH OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR - BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION IN CUSTODY Flashcards
since all human behaviour is learned according to behavioursts it should be possible to
Unlearn a behaviour
behaviour modifaction programmes are designed with the aim of
reinforcing obedient behaviours in offenders
whilst punishing disobedience
in hope obedient behaviours continue and disobedient behaviours die out
behaviour modifaction programmes such as tken economies are based on
operant conditionsing
in the walls of a prison what may desirable behviour be
avodiing confrontation
following prison rules
keeping cell orderly
in a token eocn prisoners given a token eahc time
they perform a desirable behaviour
each of desirable behaviours and rewards should be
made cleatr to pariticapnts before programme is implemetned
what would happen if there was non compliance or disobedient behaviours
token and associated privileges being removed whihc is a form of punishemnt
truw or false tokens arent rewarding int heselves
true
what do token derive their vakue from
associatoin ith a reward so are called secondary reinforcers
in a priosn tokens may be exchanged for x a
of whic are
becuase they are ..
call to loved one
which are primary reinforcers
becuase they are directly rewarding
what ar ethe 3 steps in desigingin and using a token econony system
operaitonalise target behaviours
scoring system
train staff
in a toek economy target behaviour is
opraiotnalsied
in a token eocnomy how is target behaviour operationslised
by breaking it down into compeonent parts
give exaple of target behaviour of improved interaction with prisoner inmates being broken down into compoennt parts
not touching another prisoner as you pas them
speaking politley to others
units of behaviour should be what 3 things
objective
measurable
agreed with prison staff and inmates ina dvance
in terms of scoring system what shoudl staff and orisoners be made aware of
the scoring system
and how much each particular behaviour is worth
scoring system - behaviours are hierachal in the sense
some are regarded as more demanding than otehrs so recieive greater rewards
give examples of behviours being hierachal
award more tokens to working cooperativley on a group task
than
not swearing
some token econ systems may … whilst otehrs may
awad tokens directly
others may waarrd points which are converted to tokens
regardless of whether tokens rewarded directly or converted point to tokens talk to em about ratios
reinforcemnt should outnumber punishments by a ratio
of
4:1
why is it important prison staff are given full training
To implemetn the token economy sytem succesfully
the aim is to standardise procedures so
all prion staff are rewardin same behaviorus in the same way
staff must also record
when theyve awareded tokens
why muststaff record when theyve awared tokens
so progress of individual prisoners can be assessed
eval
easy to implement
little rehabilitative value
research support + counterevidence
strength - easy to implement
relativley x to set up in x
the appeal fo bm e.g toekn economeis rests largely upon the x with whihc it cna be x
thers no need for a x x to be inolved as there would for other x of reatmentsuch as x x
rahter token eocn sstems can be x and x by virtually x in any x
theyre also x x and easy to follow once x method to x have been x
this suggests behaviour x techniques can be x in most prions and x by most prisoners
relativley straightforaward to set up in custody
the appeal fo bm e.g toekn economeis rests largely upon the ease with whihc it cna be admnisteered
thers no need for a specialist profesional to be inolved as there would for other forms of reatmentsuch as anger managmetn
rahter token eocn sstems can be designed and iplemted by virtually anyone in any institution
theyre also cost oeffective and easy to follow once workable method to reinforce have been estbalished
this suggests behaviour mod techniques can be established in most prions and accessed by most prisoners
limitatino little rehabilitative vlaue
it may not affcet x term behaviour
in the words of x behaviour modificaitno has little x value and any x changes in behaviour may occur whilst an offender is in x and x hwen they are x
more x based treatments such as x x may be more likely to lead to x behavioural change
such treatments require offender to x the x of their offending and take x for their own x
in contrast offenders can easily x along iwth a x econ system in order to access x but this produces little x in their overall x
this cna explain why once token eocn is x an offender may quickly x back to former x and maybe cognitive based x such as AM would be ore x
it may not affcet long term behaviour
in the words of blackubrn behaviour modificaitno has little rehabilitative value an any positive changes in behaviour may occur whilst an offender is in rpisno and lost hwen they are released
more cognitive based treatments such as anger managment may be more likely to lead to permanent behavioural change
such treatments require offender to understnad the cuase of their offending and take responsiblity for their own rehabilitaiton
in contrast offenders can easily play along iwth a token econ system in order to access rewards but this produces little change in their overall chacter
this cna explain why once token eocn is discontinued an offender may quickly regress back to former habits and maybe cognitive based treatmetns such as AM would be ore successful
evidence to supprot it strength
strenght of BM is it has evidence to support it
x and x introduce a token econ programme with groups of young offenders across x behavioural units and a x unit acted as a control
they obsv a x difference in positive behaviour compared to the x token economy group
furhter , x et al found a token econ programme used with young people with x problems was generally effcetive x thought there were still a numbe of young people hwo x repsond
later these x were placed on speical programme where the x were more x and more x and the results were mroe x
this suggest that token eocn systmes do x
strenght of BM is it has evidence to support it
hobbs and holt introduce a token econ programme with groups of young offenders across three behavioural units and a fourth unit acted as a control
they obsv a significant difference in positive behaviour compared to the non token economy group
furhter , field et al foudn a token econ programme used with young people with brhavioural problems was generally effcetive even thought there were still a numbe of young people hwo didint repsond
later these youths were placed on speical programme where the rewards were more immediate and more frequent and the results were mroe positive
this suggest that token eocn systmes do work
countrrreproint ot evidence
x of such sytems does x on consitent approach from x staff
x and x found any x were lost if staff applied the techniques x
accordin to researchers this was due to factor susch as a x of x staff trianng or x staff x
this suggets behaviour modifications schemes must x full and x staff participation if they are to x
success of such sytems does depend on consitent approach from prison staff
basset and blanchard found any benefits were lost if staff applied the techniques inconsitently
accordin to researchers this was due to factor susch as a lakc of appropriate staff trianng or high staff turnover
this suggets behaviour modifications schemes must ensure full and consistent staff participation if they are to work
