Dealing with offending behaviour - Treatments

Question 1

Behaviour modification

Answer 1

• One of the methods used in the rehabilitation of prisoners
• Adheres to the principle of behaviourism - operant conditioning
  = Increase the desirable behaviour and decrease undesirable behaviours using positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment.

Question 2

How behaviour modification occurs in prison

Answer 2

• Controlled condition = reinforcement schedules
• Restricted number of options for reward - Token economy = powerful tool to modify behaviour
• Earn ‘tokens’ for good behaviour - exchanged for desirable goods
• Bad behaviour = tokens taken away

Question 3

Rice (1990)

Answer 3

• Examined outcomes from 92 prisoners on a token economy programme - max-security psychiatric hospital

Found…

1. Effective for individual = continued while in institution
2. No influence on offender once released

• Works for certain individuals and for short-term
• No rehabilitative benefits = no one rewards them once they are out.

Question 4

Reppucci and Saunders (1974)

Answer 4

= Behaviour management programmes should be easy to run - they’re not

• Due to institutional pressures, limited resources and inconsistency with staff
• Rules adapted = weakened impact

Question 5

Hobbs and Tyllon (1976)

Answer 5

• Introduction of a behaviour modification programme in three young offenders’ institutions
  = Reduced the amount of undesirable behaviour within the institution
  / compared w/ institution that had no such programme

= Short-term benefits

Question 6

Evaluation - limitations

Answer 6

• Work well in short-term = little evidence effects when offender leaves
• Limited rehabilitative effect = not aim of programme
• Lack of transfer to ‘real world’ - due to prison being controlled environment - actions from behaviour aren’t immediate outside prison
• Recieved criticism for contravening human rights - withholding - visitation rights = not a reasonable action within a civilised society

Question 7

Evaluation - strengths

Answer 7

• Little training or expense
• Cheaper option
• Easier to introduce as there is less issue with staff being skilled to administer it