Dealing with offending behaviour - Recidivism

Question 1

How many offenders reoffended within a year?

Answer 1

26%

Question 2

How did prisoners suggest that recidivism due to institutionalisation could be prevented and who conducted this study?

Answer 2

Better support on release, e.g. job prospects and mental health services (Malott and Fromader)

Question 3

Why do behaviourists think that incarceration fails to deter offenders?

Answer 3

The temporal contiguity is too long, which makes the link between the action and the punishment too weak

Question 4

What psychological disorder is associated with high crime rates, and if left untreated in prison, increases the likelihood of reoffending?

Answer 4

Mental health instability, e.g. addiction

Question 5

Other than behaviourism and mental illness, what effect caused by prison can cause reoffending and why?

Answer 5

Institutionalisation; Prisoners may get used to being in prison and their day being organised; their basic physiological needs are met, and they have a sense of belongingness due to fellow inmates being in the same position. If prisoners come from a home life where their daily life is a struggle, it is easy to see why reoffending might occur

Question 6

What did Cartier find?

Answer 6

A clear link between reoffending and substance abuse in a survey, although not violent crimes

Question 7

What does most post-release research neglect?

Answer 7

Post-release environments; Recidivism rates may be due to societal faults outside of prison, such as poverty forcing individuals to turn to crime, or the lack of mental health support