Dealing With Offending Behaviour: Behaviour Modification in Custody Flashcards
What is behaviour modification based on and how is it made possible?
Behaviourist principles of operant conditioning. It’s made possible in prisons through the use of a token economy system which is managed & coordinated by prison staff.
What does a token economy aim to do?
It aims to reinforce desirable behaviour in offenders with a token that can be exchanged for some kind of reward.
What are the primary and secondary reinforcers in prison token economies?
Primary = reward
Secondary = token (because the token’s value comes from its association with the reward)
What are 3 examples of desirable behaviours in a prison?
Avoiding conflict, following prison rules & keeping one’s cell tidy
What are 3 examples of rewards for completing desirable behaviours in prison?
A phone call to a loved one, time in the gym/exercise yard & extra cigarettes/food
How is a prison token economy programme developed and managed? Step 1
Desirable behaviours are identified, broken down into small steps (increments) and a baseline measure is established.
How is a prison token economy programme developed and managed? Step 2
The behaviours to be reinforced are decided upon and all those who come into contact with the inmates must follow the same regime.
How is a prison token economy programme developed and managed? Step 3
Behaviours and rewards are made clear to the prisoners before the programme is implemented & it is also emphasised that undesirable behaviours (e.g. non-compliance/violence) could result in tokens, and their associated rewards, being withheld or removed (punishment)
How is a prison token economy programme developed and managed? Step 4
The whole programme can be overseen by prison officials who are able to monitor the programme’s effectiveness across the whole prison as well as on the behaviour of individual offenders.
What is strength of behaviour modification in custody? (easy to implement)
Token economies are relatively easy to administer & manage, especially once workable methods of reinforcement have been established. It can also be implemented by virtually anyone in the prison as it does not require expertise/specialist professionals unlike other treatment programmes (e.g. anger management).
What research evidence supports behaviour modification in custody?
Hobbs and Holt (1976) - introduced a token economy programme with groups of young delinquents across 3 behavioural units. Found significant difference in positive behaviour compared to the non-token economy group.
Allyon et al (1979) found a similar effect with adult offenders.
What is a limitation of behaviour modification in custody? (limited rehabilitative effect)
Although token economies work well within the controlled environment of a prison, it’s likely that any positive changes in behaviour may be lost when an offender is released. This is due to the fact that desirable/’law-abiding’ behaviour is not reinforced in the outside world. Therefore, there’s a possibility of recidivism.
